Example-centric programming: integrating web search into the development environment

The ready availability of online source code examples has changed the cost structure of programming by example modification. However, current search tools are wholly separate from editing tools. What benefits might be realized by integrating them? This paper describes the design, implementation, and evaluation of Blueprint, a tool that integrates Web search into the Adobe Flex Builder development environment. Blueprint automatically augments queries with code context, presents an example-centric view of search results, and retains a link between copied code and its source. This paper introduces a technique for retrieving relevant example code, descriptions, and running examples for a user’s query. A between-subjects study found that Blueprint enables participants to search for and select example code significantly faster than with a standard Web browser. ACM Classification: H5.2 [Information interfaces and presentation]: User Interfaces—prototyping. D.2.2 [Software engineering]: D...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2010
• Where: CHI
• Authors: Joel Brandt, Mira Dontcheva, Marcos Weskamp, Scott R. Klemmer
• Keywords: CHI 2010, Example Code, Human Computer Interaction, Relevant Example Code, Source Code Examples