Investigating the Effect of Software Complexity Metrics on Software Cost

Abstract

Nowadays, software is expected to have an extended lifespan, which makes the evaluation of its complexity at the early stages critical in upcoming maintenance. Indeed, complexity is proportional to the evolution of software. Software metrics were introduced as tools that allow us to obtain an objective measurement of the complexity of software. Hence, enabling software engineering to assess and manage software complexity. Reducing software costs is one of the major concerns of software engineering which creates an increasing need for new methodologies and techniques to control those costs. Software complexity metrics can help us to do so. In this paper, we would investigate how those metrics can be used to reduce software costs. We would first analyze the most popular complexity metrics and distinguish their properties. Then, we will show how each of those metrics fit within the software life cycle. Finally, we will provide a detailed approach to use the complexity metrics to reduce software costs.