Visualizing Variability Implemented with Object-Orientation and Code Clones: A Tale of Two Cities

Understanding variability in large software systems poses significant challenges for developers, especially when variability is implemented within a single codebase using diverse language mechanisms like in TypeScript. In this language, one can implement variability with traditional Object-Oriented (OO) techniques, but also with dynamic loading mechanisms that organize different forms of clones in sub-directories and files serving as internal variants. While certain approaches may facilitate partial identification or visualization, there exists no solution for handling all variability mechanisms simultaneously.