Optimized Design Refactoring: A Generic Framework for Automated Search-Based Refactoring

The paper presents a framework for search-based software design refactoring, focusing on optimization. It addresses the need for an abstract layer to facilitate effective automation of Software Design Optimization (SDO) by leveraging computational capabilities. The proposed framework supports 44% of Fowler’s refactorings and integrates seamlessly with various optimization heuristics without requiring further adaptation. A key feature is its unified artifact representation, which simplifies the optimization process and allows for the calculation of object-oriented metrics. This framework also supports parallel optimization and scales effectively with increasing design complexity.