Software Engineering basics - Types of Software Metrics

Types of Software Metrics

Software metrics are measurements used to understand and improve software development. They can help track performance, quality, progress, and efficiency. These metrics are grouped into different types based on what they measure.

1. Product Metrics

These measure the characteristics of the software product itself.

Examples:

  • Lines of Code (LOC): Total number of lines written in the code.

  • Size of code/module: Measures the physical size of the software.

  • Cyclomatic Complexity: Measures how complex the code logic is.

  • Function Points: Measures functionality from a user’s point of view.

  • Defect Density: Number of bugs per thousand lines of code.

Purpose:
Helps understand code quality, complexity, and maintainability.

2. Process Metrics

These measure how well the software development process is working.

Examples:

  • Time to complete a task

  • Cost to complete a project

  • Number of defects found during testing

  • Productivity (e.g., LOC per hour)

Purpose:
Helps improve planning, process efficiency, and predictability.

3. Project Metrics

These measure project-related aspects such as schedule, resources, and progress.

Examples:

  • Effort (in person-hours or person-days)

  • Schedule variance (ahead or behind schedule)

  • Budget variance

  • Team productivity

  • Work completed vs. work remaining

Purpose:
Helps in project monitoring, tracking deadlines, and managing resources.

4. Maintenance Metrics

These measure how easy it is to maintain and update the software after it’s delivered.

Examples:

  • Mean Time to Repair (MTTR): Average time to fix bugs or issues.

  • Change Request Rate: How often changes or updates are requested.

  • Impact of changes: How many other modules are affected when one changes.

Purpose:
Helps maintain long-term software health and ease of upgrades.

5. Quality Metrics

These measure the quality and performance of the software.

Examples:

  • Number of defects found after release

  • Failure rate in production

  • User satisfaction ratings

  • Response time or system uptime

Purpose:
Helps ensure that the software meets user expectations and standards.