Comparing reuse practices in two large software-producing companies

Context: Reuse can improve productivity and maintainability in software development. Research has proposed a wide range of methods and techniques. Are these successfully adopted in practice? Objective: We propose a preliminary answer by integrating two in-depth empirical studies on software reuse at two large software-producing companies. Method: We compare and interpret the study results with a focus on reuse practices, effects, and context. Results: Both companies perform pragmatic reuse of code produced within the company, not leveraging other available artefacts. Reusable entities are retrieved from a central repository, if present. Otherwise, direct communication with trusted colleagues is crucial for access. Reuse processes remain implicit and reflect the development style. In a homogeneous infrastructure-supported context, participants strongly agreed on higher development pace and less maintenance effort as reuse benefits. In a heterogeneous context with fragmented infrastructure, these benefits did not materialize. Neither case reports statistically significant evidence of negative side effects of reuse nor inhibitors. In both cases, a lack of reuse led to duplicate implementations. Conclusion: Technological advances have improved the way reuse concepts can be applied in practice. Homogeneity in development process and tool support seem necessary preconditions. Developing and adopting adequate reuse strategies in heterogeneous contexts remains challenging.