A Randomized Controlled Trial on the Effects of Embedded Computer Language... (Video, ESEC/FSE 2020)
Channel: ACM SIGSOFT
Date: 2020-11-08

"A Randomized Controlled Trial on the Effects of Embedded Computer Language Switching (Video, ESEC/FSE 2020)
P. Merlin Uesbeck, Cole S. Peterson, Bonita Sharif, and Andreas Stefik
(University of Nevada at Las Vegas, USA; University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA; University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA; University of Nevada at Las Vegas, USA)

Abstract: Polyglot programming, the use of multiple programming languages during the development process, is common practice in modern software development. This study investigates this practice through a randomized controlled trial conducted under the context of database programming. Participants in the study were given coding tasks written in Java and one of three SQL-like embedded languages. One was plain SQL in strings, one was in Java only, and the third was a hybrid embedded language that was closer to the host language. We recorded 109 valid data points. Results showed significant differences in how developers of different experience levels code using polyglot techniques. Notably, less experienced programmers wrote correct programs faster in the hybrid condition (frequent, but less severe, switches), while more experienced developers that already knew both languages performed better in traditional SQL (less frequent but more complete switches). The results indicate that the productivity impact of polyglot programming is complex and experience level dependent.

Article: https://doi.org/10.1145/3368089.3409701

Supplementary archive: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3911750 (Badges: Artifacts Available, Artifacts Evaluated — Reusable, Artifacts Evaluated — Functional)

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8182-9942

Submitted to the conference by Merlin Uesbeck on 2020-10-31

Video Tags: polyglot programming, programming languages, computer language switching, productivity, database programming, experience, randomized controlled trial, fse20main-p248-p, DOI: 10.1145/3368089.3409701, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.3911750, ORCID: 0000-0001-8182-9942, Artifacts Available, Artifacts Evaluated — Reusable, Artifacts Evaluated — Functional

Presentation at the ESEC/FSE 2020 conference, November 8–13, 2020, https://2020.esec-fse.org/
Sponsored by ACM SIGSOFT, https://www.sigsoft.org/

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