Artifact (software development)
Encyclopedia
An artifact is one of many kinds of tangible by-product
produced during the development of software. Some artifacts (e.g., use case
s, class diagram
s, and other UML
models, requirements and design documents) help describe the function, architecture, and design of software. Other artifacts are concerned with the process of development itself—such as project plans, business cases, and risk assessments.
The term artifact in connection with software development is largely associated with specific development methods or processes e.g., Unified Process
. This usage of the term may have originated with those methods.
Build tools
often refer to source code compiled for testing as an artifact, because the executable
is necessary to carrying out the testing plan. Without the executable to test, the testing plan artifact is limited to non-execution based testing
. In non-execution based testing, the artifacts are the walkthroughs
, inspections
and correctness proofs. On the other hand, execution based testing
requires at minimum two artifacts: a test suite
and the executable. An artifact occasionally may be used to refer to the released code (in the case of a code library) or released executable (in the case of a program) produced but the more common usage is in referring to the byproducts of software development rather than the product itself. Open source code libraries often contain a testing harness
to allow contributors to ensure their changes do not cause regression
bugs
in the code library.
Much of what are considered artifacts is software documentation
.
In end-user development an artifact is either an application or a complex data object that is created by an end-user without the need to know a general programming language. Artifacts describe automated behavior or control sequences, such as database requests or grammar rules, or user-generated content.
Artifacts vary in their maintainability. Maintainability is primarily effected by the role the artifact fulfills. The role can be either practical or symbolic. In the earliest stages of software development, artifacts may be created by the design team to serve a symbolic role to show the project sponsor how serious the contractor is about meeting the project's needs. Symbolic artifacts often convey information poorly, but are impressive-looking. Symbolic artifacts are sometimes referred to in the information architecture industry as Illuminated Scrolls, because the decorations do nothing to enhance understanding. Generally speaking, Illuminated Scrolls are also considered unmaintainable due to the diligence it requires to preserve the symbolic quality. For this reason, once Illuminated Scrolls are shown to the project sponsor and approved, they are replaced by artifacts which serve a practical role. Practical artifacts usually need to be maintained throughout the project lifecycle, and, as such, are generally highly maintainable.
Artifacts are significant from a project management perspective as deliverable
s. The deliverables of a software project are likely to be the same as its artifacts with the addition of the software itself.
The sense of artifacts as byproducts is similar to the use of the term artifact
in science to refer to something that arises from the process in hand rather than the issue itself, i.e., a result of interest that stems from the means rather than the end.
By-product
A by-product is a secondary product derived from a manufacturing process or chemical reaction. It is not the primary product or service being produced.A by-product can be useful and marketable or it can be considered waste....
produced during the development of software. Some artifacts (e.g., use case
Use case
In software engineering and systems engineering, a use case is a description of steps or actions between a user and a software system which leads the user towards something useful...
s, class diagram
Class diagram
In software engineering, a class diagram in the Unified Modeling Language is a type of static structure diagram that describes the structure of a system by showing the system's classes, their attributes, operations , and the relationships among the classes.- Overview :The class diagram is the main...
s, and other UML
Unified Modeling Language
Unified Modeling Language is a standardized general-purpose modeling language in the field of object-oriented software engineering. The standard is managed, and was created, by the Object Management Group...
models, requirements and design documents) help describe the function, architecture, and design of software. Other artifacts are concerned with the process of development itself—such as project plans, business cases, and risk assessments.
The term artifact in connection with software development is largely associated with specific development methods or processes e.g., Unified Process
Unified Process
The Unified Software Development Process or Unified Process is a popular iterative and incremental software development process framework. The best-known and extensively documented refinement of the Unified Process is the Rational Unified Process ....
. This usage of the term may have originated with those methods.
Build tools
Build Automation
Build automation is the act of scripting or automating a wide variety of tasks that software developers do in their day-to-day activities including things like:* compiling computer source code into binary code* packaging binary code* running tests...
often refer to source code compiled for testing as an artifact, because the executable
Executable
In computing, an executable file causes a computer "to perform indicated tasks according to encoded instructions," as opposed to a data file that must be parsed by a program to be meaningful. These instructions are traditionally machine code instructions for a physical CPU...
is necessary to carrying out the testing plan. Without the executable to test, the testing plan artifact is limited to non-execution based testing
Static testing
Static testing is a form of software testing where the software isn't actually used. This is in contrast to dynamic testing. It is generally not detailed testing, but checks mainly for the sanity of the code, algorithm, or document. It is primarily syntax checking of the code and/or manually...
. In non-execution based testing, the artifacts are the walkthroughs
Software walkthrough
In software engineering, a walkthrough or walk-through is a form of software peer review "in which a designer or programmer leads members of the development team and other interested parties through a software product, and the participants ask questions and make comments about possible errors,...
, inspections
Software inspection
Inspection in software engineering, refers to peer review of any work product by trained individuals who look for defects using a well defined process...
and correctness proofs. On the other hand, execution based testing
Dynamic testing
Dynamic testing is a term used in software engineering to describe the testing of the dynamic behavior of code. That is, dynamic analysis refers to the examination of the physical response from the system to variables that are not constant and change with time...
requires at minimum two artifacts: a test suite
Test suite
In software development, a test suite, less commonly known as a validation suite, is a collection of test cases that are intended to be used to test a software program to show that it has some specified set of behaviours. A test suite often contains detailed instructions or goals for each...
and the executable. An artifact occasionally may be used to refer to the released code (in the case of a code library) or released executable (in the case of a program) produced but the more common usage is in referring to the byproducts of software development rather than the product itself. Open source code libraries often contain a testing harness
Test harness
In software testing, a test harness or automated test framework is a collection of software and test data configured to test a program unit by running it under varying conditions and monitoring its behavior and outputs. It has two main parts: the Test execution engine and the Test script...
to allow contributors to ensure their changes do not cause regression
Regression testing
Regression testing is any type of software testing that seeks to uncover new errors, or regressions, in existing functionality after changes have been made to a system, such as functional enhancements, patches or configuration changes....
bugs
Software bug
A software bug is the common term used to describe an error, flaw, mistake, failure, or fault in a computer program or system that produces an incorrect or unexpected result, or causes it to behave in unintended ways. Most bugs arise from mistakes and errors made by people in either a program's...
in the code library.
Much of what are considered artifacts is software documentation
Software documentation
Software documentation or source code documentation is written text that accompanies computer software. It either explains how it operates or how to use it, and may mean different things to people in different roles....
.
In end-user development an artifact is either an application or a complex data object that is created by an end-user without the need to know a general programming language. Artifacts describe automated behavior or control sequences, such as database requests or grammar rules, or user-generated content.
Artifacts vary in their maintainability. Maintainability is primarily effected by the role the artifact fulfills. The role can be either practical or symbolic. In the earliest stages of software development, artifacts may be created by the design team to serve a symbolic role to show the project sponsor how serious the contractor is about meeting the project's needs. Symbolic artifacts often convey information poorly, but are impressive-looking. Symbolic artifacts are sometimes referred to in the information architecture industry as Illuminated Scrolls, because the decorations do nothing to enhance understanding. Generally speaking, Illuminated Scrolls are also considered unmaintainable due to the diligence it requires to preserve the symbolic quality. For this reason, once Illuminated Scrolls are shown to the project sponsor and approved, they are replaced by artifacts which serve a practical role. Practical artifacts usually need to be maintained throughout the project lifecycle, and, as such, are generally highly maintainable.
Artifacts are significant from a project management perspective as deliverable
Deliverable
Deliverable is a term used in project management to describe a tangible or intangible object produced as a result of the project that is intended to be delivered to a customer . A deliverable could be a report, a document, a server upgrade or any other building block of an overall project.A...
s. The deliverables of a software project are likely to be the same as its artifacts with the addition of the software itself.
The sense of artifacts as byproducts is similar to the use of the term artifact
Artifact (error)
In natural science and signal processing, an artifact is any error in the perception or representation of any visual or aural information introduced by the involved equipment or technique....
in science to refer to something that arises from the process in hand rather than the issue itself, i.e., a result of interest that stems from the means rather than the end.
Further reading
- Per Kroll & Philippe KruchtenPhilippe KruchtenPhilippe Kruchten is a Canadian software engineer, and Professor of Software Engineering at University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, known as Director of Process Development at Rational Software, and developer of the 4+1 view model....
(2003). The Rational Unified Process Made Easy: A Practitioner's Guide to the RUP. ISBN 0-321-16609-4.