Content area

Abstract

Researchers have recently achieved significant advances in deep learning techniques, which in turn has substantially advanced other research disciplines, such as natural language processing, image processing, speech recognition, and software engineering. Various deep learning techniques have been successfully employed to facilitate software engineering tasks, including code generation, software refactoring, and fault localization. Many studies have also been presented in top conferences and journals, demonstrating the applications of deep learning techniques in resolving various software engineering tasks. However, although several surveys have provided overall pictures of the application of deep learning techniques in software engineering, they focus more on learning techniques, that is, what kind of deep learning techniques are employed and how deep models are trained or fine-tuned for software engineering tasks. We still lack surveys explaining the advances of subareas in software engineering driven by deep learning techniques, as well as challenges and opportunities in each subarea. To this end, in this study, we present the first task-oriented survey on deep learning-based software engineering. It covers twelve major software engineering subareas significantly impacted by deep learning techniques. Such subareas spread out through the whole lifecycle of software development and maintenance, including requirements engineering, software development, testing, maintenance, and developer collaboration. As we believe that deep learning may provide an opportunity to revolutionize the whole discipline of software engineering, providing one survey covering as many subareas as possible in software engineering can help future research push forward the frontier of deep learning-based software engineering more systematically. For each of the selected subareas, we highlight the major advances achieved by applying deep learning techniques with pointers to the available datasets in such a subarea. We also discuss the challenges and opportunities concerning each of the surveyed software engineering subareas.

Details

Title
Deep learning-based software engineering: progress, challenges, and opportunities
Publication title
Volume
68
Issue
1
Pages
111102
Publication year
2025
Publication date
Jan 2025
Publisher
Springer Nature B.V.
Place of publication
Heidelberg
Country of publication
Netherlands
Publication subject
ISSN
1674733X
e-ISSN
18691919
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
Document type
Journal Article
Publication history
 
 
Online publication date
2024-12-24
Milestone dates
2023-12-28 (Registration); 2023-09-26 (Received); 2024-04-01 (Accepted); 2023-12-31 (Rev-Recd)
Publication history
 
 
   First posting date
24 Dec 2024
ProQuest document ID
3151309180
Document URL
https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/deep-learning-based-software-engineering-progress/docview/3151309180/se-2?accountid=208611
Copyright
Copyright Springer Nature B.V. Jan 2025
Last updated
2025-01-04
Database
ProQuest One Academic