Navigating and Querying Code Without Getting Lost

A development task related to a crosscutting concern is challenging because a developer can easily get lost when exploring scattered elements of code and the complex tangle of relationships between them. In this paper we present a source browsing tool that improves the developer’s ability to work with crosscutting concerns by providing better support for exploring code. Our tool helps the developer to remain oriented while exploring and navigating across a code base. The cognitive burden placed on a developer is reduced by avoiding disorienting view switches and by providing an explicit representation of the exploration process in terms of exploration paths. While our tool is generally useful, good navigation support is particularly important when exploring crosscutting concerns. 1