Extending Bug Localization Using Information Retrieval and Code Clone Location Techniques

Bug localization involves the use of information about a bug to assist in locating sections of code that must be modified to fix the bug. Such a task can involve a considerable amount of time and effort on the part of software developers and/or maintainers. Recently, several automated bug localization techniques based on information retrieval (IR) models have been developed to speed the process of bug localization. Another code analysis technique involves locating duplicated sections of code in software projects, called code clones. We examine the application of code clone location techniques in the context of bug localization. We attempt to determine the advantages of extending existing code clone location techniques through the inclusion of IR models in the analysis process. We also examine a technique for extending the use of bug logging repositories and version control systems by analyzing the two using IR techniques.