by Richard Wettel
Analyzing large-scale software systems is a costly process in the absence of dedicated tools. Using visualization techniques, humans are able to quickly assess large amounts of information and detect patterns. In this talk we present CodeCity, a 3D visualization tool revolving around a city metaphor, for building interactive visualizations of large object-oriented software systems. We extended our approach to allow the visual exploration of evolving software systems and the localization of design problems.
CodeCity features a domain-specific scripting language, allowing the users to define custom visualizations. Written in VisualWorks Smalltalk, CodeCity is capable of visualizing software systems written in Java, Smalltalk, and C++.
Bio: Richard Wettel is a PhD student at the Faculty of Informatics, University of Lugano. He obtained his MSc degree in 2004 at the Polytechnic University of Timisoara, Romania. His research interests include software visualization, software reengineering, reverse engineering, and software evolution. He is the developer of CodeCity, a 3D visualization tool to support the comprehension of large software systems.