Software visualization uses IDE programs or plug-ins to create graphical representations of software, helping to uncover inefficiencies and problems. It can be used to examine source code, determine dependencies, and observe program execution. Real-time views can show performance issues, and it can be used for reverse engineering and computer security.
Software visualization is the act of using integrated development environment (IDE) programs or plug-ins when developing and testing software applications; this allows you to create a graphical representation of some aspects of the software in order to determine if there are problems or inefficiencies within the program. There are several types of software visualization techniques, but most commonly they are used to view details about program source code, to examine the relationships between software components, or to observe an abstract view of a program’s execution, including information about how it is to interact with the surrounding processes. In general, software visualization is used on complex systems to help uncover out-of-the-ordinary behavior or resource usage, or to see areas of a project that are unnecessary or malfunctioning. The actual visual representation used varies greatly from interconnected blocks of text to two-dimensional (2D) bar graphs to processing three-dimensional (3D) objects that change shape as a program runs.
In some cases, it can be useful to use the software view to examine the source code of a program. Through the use of coloring and abstraction, huge amounts of written code can be visualized simultaneously. The intention might be to determine how much code is being used for what purpose, or alternatively the display might be paired with a profiler or debugger that highlights blocks of code that take a long time to run or that execute frequently.
Object-oriented programming languages can use software visualization to determine the relationships between different libraries, classes, and methods in a program. This helps determine dependencies between different areas of a program, some of which may not be intentional. It can also show classes or methods in a program that are never called or that program logic makes unreachable. Visually, an addiction or relationship graph can look like a web of cobwebs and lines, overlapping spheres of different sizes, or even the branches of a tree.
Once a program is running, the real-time software view can show an abstract representation of the program execution, the handling of the different queues and the flow of inputs and outputs. This can help developers see spikes or gaps in performance and areas that are receiving exceptionally high activity. These types of visualizations can look like anything from moving colored blocks and waveforms to editing topographical maps that represent segments of running code. In general, however, the display is kept simple enough so that anomalous events can be clearly seen and observed without excessive graphical clutter.
There are other applications for viewing software, one of which is reverse engineering an application. By observing how a program interacts and executes, you can focus on different segments of your code without requiring a steep initial learning curve. A more specific use is in the field of computer security to observe which areas of a program interact with external processes or which areas are open to attack.
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