Visual Analysis of Software Engineering Data

Dear Colleagues,

Software engineering data encompasses the vast information generated throughout the software development lifecycle. It includes the actual code written by developers, historical records of code changes, records of bugs, feature requests, results of automated and manual tests, logs and metrics related to the deployment and operation of software systems, real-time or historical data on system performance, resource usage, user feedback, and user behavior. Various techniques like data mining, machine learning, and visualization extract meaningful information from these data. Visual analysis offers a powerful means to extract insights from software engineering data, but its role extends beyond mere data representation. Visual analytics enable developers to identify patterns, trends, and anomalies that might be overlooked with traditional text-based analysis. Furthermore, integrating visual tools into software engineering workflows can significantly improve collaboration among team members, fostering a more cohesive and productive development environment. This Special Issue seeks to highlight the latest advancements and applications of visual analysis, underscoring its importance in addressing the challenges posed by modern software systems. The topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Visualizations for Code Comprehension;
• Software Repository Analysis;
• Bug Tracking and Analysis;
• Performance Analysis and Optimization;
• Software Evolution and Maintenance;
• Collaborative Software Development;
• Machine Learning and AI for Visual Analysis;
• Interactive Visualizations for Software Metrics;
• Visualization of Software Architectures;
• Data-Driven Decision Making in Software Engineering;
• Empirical Studies on Visual Analytics in Software Engineering;
• Case Studies and Applications.
• Practical applications of visual analytics.

This Special Issue aims to explore and highlight the latest advancements, methodologies, and applications in the visual analysis of software engineering data. As software systems become increasingly complex and large-scale, innovative approaches are required to effectively manage, analyze, and optimize these systems. Visual analytics offers a powerful means to harness the human visual system's pattern recognition capabilities to extract insights from extensive and intricate software engineering data. This Special Issue seeks to bring together researchers and practitioners to present cutting-edge research, case studies, and empirical studies that demonstrate the impact of visual analysis on various aspects of software engineering. The Special Issue aims to foster a deeper understanding of how visual tools can improve software quality, development efficiency, and team collaboration by showcasing these advancements.

The journal Electronics focuses on the broad field of electronics and its applications, including but not limited to signal processing, telecommunications, power systems, and information systems. The visual analysis of software engineering data is highly relevant to this scope, as it involves developing and applying visual tools and techniques to improve the management and analysis of electronic systems and software. Integrating visual analytics within software engineering processes aligns with the journal's emphasis on innovative solutions and advanced methodologies in electronics and information systems. Visual analytics contributes to the advancement of electronics by enabling more effective handling of the data generated in software development, a critical component of modern electronic systems. This Special Issue will highlight how visual tools can be leveraged to enhance the understanding and optimization of software, thereby supporting the overall mission of the journal to publish high-quality research in the field of electronics.

Dr. Yulia Kumar
Dr. Kuan Huang
Dr. Hemn Barzan Abdalla
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Electronics is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• visual analytics
• software engineering data
• version control
• issue tracking
• code review
• test data
• performance metrics
• user feedback
• software development lifecycle