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Generalized collaboration networks in software systems: a case study of Linux kernels

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Abstract

The collaboration relationships between header files in the source code of Linux kernels are analyzed by constructing a weighted Header File Collaboration Network (HFCN): each node represents a header file; two nodes are connected if corresponding header files are both included in the same source file at least once; also the link weight is assigned to evaluate the intensity of co-inclusion of two header files. Through using appropriate non-weighted and weighted quantities, structural properties of two kinds of HFCN networks(HFCN-I and HFCN-II) are characterized and analyzed. The study of Linux kernels from the viewpoint of complex networks can provide a better description of the organizational principles and evolving mechanism of complex software systems.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tianjin Key Laboratory of Intelligence Computing and Novel Software Technology, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin, 300191, China

    Shiwen Sun, Chengyi Xia & Junqing Sun

  2. Key Laboratory of Computer Vision and System, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin, 300191, China

    Shiwen Sun, Chengyi Xia & Junqing Sun

  3. 66366th Troops, PLA, Tangshan, 064100, China

    Zhenhai Chen

  4. Department of Automation, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China

    Zengqiang Chen

Authors
  1. Shiwen Sun
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  2. Chengyi Xia
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  3. Zhenhai Chen
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  4. Junqing Sun
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  5. Zengqiang Chen
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chengyi Xia.

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Sun, S., Xia, C., Chen, Z. et al. Generalized collaboration networks in software systems: a case study of Linux kernels. Front. Comput. Sci. China 3, 421–426 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11704-009-0053-Z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11704-009-0053-Z

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