A method-level analysis of objectoriented techniques in Java applications

In this paper we seek to provide a foundation for the study of the level of use of object-oriented techniques in Java programs in general, and sci-entific applications in particular. Specifically, we focus on the use of small methods, and the frequency with which they are called, since this forms the basis for the study of method inlining, an important optimisation technique. We compare the Grande and SPEC benchmark suites, and note a significant difference in the nature and composition of these suites, with the programs from the Grande suite demonstrating a less object-oriented approach. On average, they make less use of the class library than SPEC applications and use longer methods. J.F. Power and J.T. Waldron