{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7133131367","doi":"https://doi.org/10.3390/software5010011","title":"Is Code Co-Committal an Indicator of Evolutionary Coupling in Software Repositories?","display_name":"Is Code Co-Committal an Indicator of Evolutionary Coupling in Software Repositories?","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-03-01","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7133131367","doi":"https://doi.org/10.3390/software5010011"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.3390/software5010011","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.3390/software5010011","pdf_url":"https://www.mdpi.com/2674-113X/5/1/11/pdf?version=1772354266","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4210183365","display_name":"Software","issn_l":"2674-113X","issn":["2674-113X"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":true,"is_core":true,"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"Software","raw_type":"journal-article"},"type":"article","indexed_in":["crossref","doaj"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"diamond","oa_url":"https://www.mdpi.com/2674-113X/5/1/11/pdf?version=1772354266","any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5127073361","display_name":"Niall Price","orcid":null},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I126231945","display_name":"Queen's University Belfast","ror":"https://ror.org/00hswnk62","country_code":"GB","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I126231945"]}],"countries":["GB"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Niall Price","raw_affiliation_strings":["School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Queen\u2019s University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, UK"],"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Queen\u2019s University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, UK","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I126231945"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5020567812","display_name":"David Cutting","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1088-4749"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I126231945","display_name":"Queen's University Belfast","ror":"https://ror.org/00hswnk62","country_code":"GB","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I126231945"]}],"countries":["GB"],"is_corresponding":true,"raw_author_name":"David Cutting","raw_affiliation_strings":["School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Queen\u2019s University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, UK"],"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Queen\u2019s University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, UK","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I126231945"]}]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5103723651","display_name":"Garousi Vahid","orcid":null},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I126231945","display_name":"Queen's University Belfast","ror":"https://ror.org/00hswnk62","country_code":"GB","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I126231945"]},{"id":"https://openalex.org/I26889942","display_name":"Azerbaijan Technical University","ror":"https://ror.org/01qe1a488","country_code":"AZ","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I26889942"]}],"countries":["AZ","GB"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Vahid Garousi","raw_affiliation_strings":["Institute of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, Azerbaijan Technical University (AzTU), Baku AZ 1073, Azerbaijan","School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Queen\u2019s University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, UK"],"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Institute of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, Azerbaijan Technical University (AzTU), Baku AZ 1073, Azerbaijan","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I26889942"]},{"raw_affiliation_string":"School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Queen\u2019s University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, UK","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I126231945"]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":2,"institutions_distinct_count":3,"corresponding_author_ids":["https://openalex.org/A5020567812"],"corresponding_institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I126231945"],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":0.0,"has_fulltext":true,"cited_by_count":0,"citation_normalized_percentile":{"value":0.43009927,"is_in_top_1_percent":false,"is_in_top_10_percent":false},"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":"5","issue":"1","first_page":"11","last_page":"11"},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10260","display_name":"Software Engineering Research","score":0.8637999892234802,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1710","display_name":"Information Systems"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10260","display_name":"Software Engineering Research","score":0.8637999892234802,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1710","display_name":"Information Systems"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10430","display_name":"Software Engineering Techniques and Practices","score":0.05130000039935112,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1710","display_name":"Information Systems"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11986","display_name":"Scientific Computing and Data Management","score":0.026499999687075615,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1802","display_name":"Information Systems and Management"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/18","display_name":"Decision Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/metadata","display_name":"Metadata","score":0.8220999836921692},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/exploit","display_name":"Exploit","score":0.654699981212616},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/software","display_name":"Software","score":0.6491000056266785},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/software-evolution","display_name":"Software evolution","score":0.5041000247001648},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/software-development","display_name":"Software development","score":0.49540001153945923},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/dimension","display_name":"Dimension (graph theory)","score":0.4810999929904938},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/change-impact-analysis","display_name":"Change impact analysis","score":0.48089998960494995},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/source-code","display_name":"Source code","score":0.4415000081062317}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C93518851","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q180160","display_name":"Metadata","level":2,"score":0.8220999836921692},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.6976000070571899},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C165696696","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11287","display_name":"Exploit","level":2,"score":0.654699981212616},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777904410","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7397","display_name":"Software","level":2,"score":0.6491000056266785},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C202105479","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q265013","display_name":"Software evolution","level":5,"score":0.5041000247001648},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C529173508","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q638608","display_name":"Software development","level":3,"score":0.49540001153945923},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C33676613","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q13415176","display_name":"Dimension (graph theory)","level":2,"score":0.4810999929904938},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C164691408","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5071844","display_name":"Change impact analysis","level":3,"score":0.48089998960494995},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C124101348","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q172491","display_name":"Data mining","level":1,"score":0.4742000102996826},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C43126263","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q128751","display_name":"Source code","level":2,"score":0.4415000081062317},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776760102","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5139990","display_name":"Code (set theory)","level":3,"score":0.4399999976158142},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2779010991","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2720909","display_name":"Artifact (error)","level":2,"score":0.42800000309944153},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C115903868","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q80993","display_name":"Software engineering","level":1,"score":0.37299999594688416},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C149091818","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2429814","display_name":"Software system","level":3,"score":0.3490000069141388},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C117447612","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1412670","display_name":"Software quality","level":4,"score":0.3474999964237213},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C116834253","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2039217","display_name":"Identification (biology)","level":2,"score":0.30570000410079956},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C82214349","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q657339","display_name":"Software metric","level":5,"score":0.30140000581741333},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C23123220","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q816826","display_name":"Information retrieval","level":1,"score":0.2906000018119812},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C180152950","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2904257","display_name":"Software development process","level":4,"score":0.28200000524520874},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C131584629","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4308705","display_name":"Coupling (piping)","level":2,"score":0.27730000019073486},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C189950617","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q937228","display_name":"Property (philosophy)","level":2,"score":0.2766999900341034},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2522767166","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2374463","display_name":"Data science","level":1,"score":0.2623000144958496},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C165064840","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1321061","display_name":"Matching (statistics)","level":2,"score":0.2535000145435333},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C198140048","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q10859422","display_name":"Software versioning","level":3,"score":0.2515999972820282}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":3,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.3390/software5010011","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.3390/software5010011","pdf_url":"https://www.mdpi.com/2674-113X/5/1/11/pdf?version=1772354266","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4210183365","display_name":"Software","issn_l":"2674-113X","issn":["2674-113X"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":true,"is_core":true,"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"Software","raw_type":"journal-article"},{"id":"pmh:oai:pure.qub.ac.uk/portal:openaire/baa43d00-837a-459a-9e42-32f463dd9310","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/publications/baa43d00-837a-459a-9e42-32f463dd9310","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306402319","display_name":"Research Portal (Queen's University Belfast)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I126231945","host_organization_name":"Queen's University Belfast","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I126231945"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"Price, N, Cutting, D & Garousi, V 2026, 'Is code co-committal an indicator of evolutionary coupling in software repositories?', Software, vol. 5, no. 1, 11. https://doi.org/10.3390/software5010011","raw_type":"info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion"},{"id":"pmh:oai:doaj.org/article:82d1019401c444d2a03ef3439d6905f8","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doaj.org/article/82d1019401c444d2a03ef3439d6905f8","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S112646816","display_name":"SHILAP Revista de lepidopterolog\u00eda","issn_l":"0300-5267","issn":["0300-5267","2340-4078"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":true,"is_core":false,"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":"Software, Vol 5, Iss 1, p 11 (2026)","raw_type":"article"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"doi:10.3390/software5010011","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.3390/software5010011","pdf_url":"https://www.mdpi.com/2674-113X/5/1/11/pdf?version=1772354266","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4210183365","display_name":"Software","issn_l":"2674-113X","issn":["2674-113X"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":true,"is_core":true,"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"Software","raw_type":"journal-article"},"sustainable_development_goals":[{"display_name":"Industry, innovation and infrastructure","id":"https://metadata.un.org/sdg/9","score":0.43873924016952515}],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"grobid_xml":true,"pdf":true},"content_urls":{"pdf":"https://content.openalex.org/works/W7133131367.pdf","grobid_xml":"https://content.openalex.org/works/W7133131367.grobid-xml"},"referenced_works_count":0,"referenced_works":[],"related_works":[],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Software":[0],"repositories":[1,131],"such":[2,15],"as":[3,16,66,107,182],"Git":[4,60,99,130],"are":[5,45,53],"significant":[6],"sources":[7],"of":[8,80,92,127,172,185,201],"metadata":[9,40,126],"about":[10],"software":[11,32,95],"projects,":[12],"containing":[13],"information":[14,63],"modified":[17],"files,":[18],"change":[19,33,117],"authors,":[20],"and":[21,136,158,169,176,198],"often":[22],"commentary":[23],"describing":[24],"the":[25,58,108,125,141,166,173],"change.":[26],"An":[27],"emerging":[28],"approach":[29],"to":[30,37,41,84],"support":[31],"impact":[34,118],"analysis":[35],"is":[36,83,88],"exploit":[38],"this":[39,81],"determine":[42,85],"which":[43],"files":[44,52],"linked":[46],"by":[47,165],"co-committal,":[48],"i.e.,":[49],"when":[50],"two":[51],"frequently":[54],"updated":[55],"together":[56],"within":[57],"same":[59],"commit.":[61],"Such":[62],"can":[64,180],"serve":[65,181],"an":[67,183],"indicator":[68,91,184],"for":[69,116],"identifying":[70],"potential":[71],"change-impact":[72],"sets":[73,139],"in":[74,98,155,188],"future":[75],"development":[76,167,196],"activities.":[77],"The":[78,144],"aim":[79],"study":[82],"whether":[86,103],"co-committal":[87,149,179],"a":[89,112],"reliable":[90],"links":[93,105,150],"between":[94,151],"artifacts":[96,109,152],"stored":[97],"and,":[100],"if":[101],"so,":[102],"these":[104,161],"persist":[106],"evolve\u2014thereby":[110],"offering":[111],"potentially":[113],"valuable":[114],"dimension":[115],"analysis.":[119],"To":[120],"investigate":[121],"this,":[122],"we":[123],"mined":[124],"five":[128],"large":[129],"comprising":[132],"over":[133],"14K":[134],"commits":[135],"extracted":[137],"co-change":[138],"from":[140],"resulting":[142],"data.":[143],"results":[145],"show":[146],"that:":[147],"(1)":[148],"vary":[153],"widely":[154],"both":[156],"strength":[157],"frequency,":[159],"with":[160],"variations":[162],"strongly":[163],"influenced":[164],"style":[168],"activity":[170],"levels":[171],"contributing":[174],"developers,":[175],"(2)":[177],"although":[178],"evolutionary":[186],"coupling":[187],"certain":[189],"scenarios,":[190],"its":[191],"usefulness":[192],"depends":[193],"on":[194],"project-specific":[195],"practices":[197],"observable":[199],"patterns":[200],"developer":[202],"behavior.":[203]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-03-30T08:08:38.191290","created_date":"2026-03-02T00:00:00"}