Previous studies have characterized code comments in different programming languages. However, very few studies have focused on the analysis of the information embedded in code comments. None of them compared the developer’s practices to write the comments to the standard guidelines and analyzed these characteristics in the Pharo Smalltalk environment. The class commenting practices have their origins in Smalltalk-80, going back 40 years. Smalltalk offers a brief template for entering a comment for newly-created classes. These templates have evolved over the years, particularly in the Pharo environment. This paper reports the first empirical study investigating commenting practices in Pharo Smalltalk. We quantitatively and qualitatively analyze class comments of the most recent version of Pharo, to investigate the information types of Pharo comments. Finally, we study the adherence of developer commenting practices to the class template over Pharo versions. The results show a rapid increase in class comments in the initial three Pharo versions, while in subsequent versions developers added comments to both new and old classes, thus maintaining a similar ratio. Additionally, we found that 23 information types are typically embedded in class comments and only seven of them are present in the latest Pharo class comment template. However, the information types proposed by the standard template tend to be present more often than other types of information. Additionally, we find that a substantial proportion of comments follow the writing style of the template in writing these information types, but written and formatted in a non-uniform way. This suggests the need to standardize the commenting guidelines for formatting the text to ensure a consistent style, and to identify the information easily.

1. What do class comments tell us?
An investigation of comment
evolution and practices in Pharo
Smalltalk
Pooja Rani, Sebastiano Panichella, Manuel
Leuenberger, Mohammad Ghafari, Oscar Nierstrasz
Journal First

2. /**
* A class representing a window on the screen.
*
* For example:
* <pre>
* Window win = new Window(parent);
* win.show();
* </pre>
*
* @author Sami Shaio
* @version 1.13, 06/08/06
* @see java.awt.BaseWindow
*/
class Window extends BaseWindow {
…
}
2
Motivation
High-quality code comments assist developers
- Dekel et al. 2009
Java class comment

3. /**
* A class representing a window on the screen.
*
* For example:
* <pre>
* Window win = new Window(parent);
* win.show();
* </pre>
*
* @author Sami Shaio
* @version 1.13, 06/08/06
* @see java.awt.BaseWindow
*/
class Window extends BaseWindow {
…
}
3
Motivation
Java class comment
Different languages use different conventions to write comments
Smalltalk class comment

4. 4

5. 5

6. 6
Intent

7. 7
Example

8. 8
Implementation
details

9. 9
Class comments are a main source of documentation
No strict comment conventions, such as tags
Lack of quality assessment tools
Lack of empirical studies
Challenges

10. 10
Class comments are a main source of documentation
No strict comment conventions such as tags
Lack of quality assessment tools
Lack of empirical studies
Challenges

11. 11
Class comments are a main source of documentation
No strict comment conventions such as tags
Lack of quality assessment tools
Lack of empirical studies
Challenges

12. 12
Class comments are a main source of documentation
No strict comment conventions such as tags
Lack of quality assessment tools
Lack of empirical studies
Challenges

13. 13
Class comments are a main source of documentation
No strict comment conventions such as tags
Lack of quality assessment tools
Lack of empirical studies
Requires empirical knowledge
Using previous techniques a non-trivial task
Challenges

14. 14
We study Smalltalk class comments

15. 15
We analyse from three perspectives
P1
Commenting trend
Comment
adherence to
template
P3
Comment
information types
P2

16. 16
We analyse from three perspectives
P1
Commenting trend
Comment
adherence to
template
P3
Comment
information types
P2
How often developers
write?

17. 17
Commenting trend
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharo https://pharo.org/

18. 18
Commenting trend
■ Pharo software system (first appeared in 2008)
■ Study its seven versions from 2008-2019 (11 years)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharo https://pharo.org/

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#
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Old classes comment and code changed
50% of comment changes were related to code changes

20. 20
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#
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Comments updated of old classes
developers add or update comment of old classes

21. 21
We analyse from three perspectives
P1
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Comment
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template
P3
Comment
information types
P2
What do developers
write?

22. 22
Implementation
details
Intent
Example
Unlike Java and Python, there is no comment taxonomy
Smalltalk class comments

23. 23
Information types in Smalltalk
7 Pharo versions
2008-2019
364 sample comments
Smalltalk class comments contain 23 types of information

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Smalltalk class comments contain 23 types of information
Information types in Smalltalk

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Color scale according to number of comments falling into a category
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d
e
n
c
i
e
s
C
o
n
t
r
a
c
t
s
O
b
s
e
r
v
a
t
i
o
n
s
R
e
c
o
m
m
e
n
d
a
t
i
o
n
s
E
x
t
e
n
s
i
o
s
L
i
n
k
s
D
i
s
c
o
u
r
s
e
W
a
r
n
i
n
g
s
C
o
d
i
n
g
G
u
i
d
e
l
i
n
e
s
N
a
m
i
n
g
C
o
n
v
e
n
t
i
o
n
s
T
o
d
o
c
o
m
m
e
n
t
s
C
l
a
s
s
R
e
f
e
r
e
n
c
e
s
S
u
b
c
l
a
s
s
e
s
E
x
p
l
a
n
a
t
i
o
n
R
e
f
e
r
e
n
c
e
O
t
h
e
r
R
e
s
o
u
r
c
e
s
I
m
p
l
e
m
e
n
t
a
t
i
o
n
P
o
i
n
t
s
E
x
a
m
p
l
e
s
K
e
y
M
e
s
s
a
g
e
s
I
n
s
t
a
n
c
e
V
a
r
i
a
b
l
e
s
C
o
l
l
a
b
a
r
t
o
r
s
R
e
s
p
o
n
s
i
b
i
l
i
t
y
I
n
t
e
n
t
Categories
Pharo
versions
(total
classes)
31
Color scale according to percentage of comments falling into a category
Internal
External
GToolkit
Seaside
Roassal
Moose
PolyMath
Petit
Pillar
O
t
h
e
r
L
i
c
e
n
s
e
D
e
p
e
n
d
e
n
c
i
e
s
C
o
n
t
r
a
c
t
s
O
b
s
e
r
v
a
t
i
o
n
s
R
e
c
o
m
m
e
n
d
a
t
i
o
n
s
E
x
t
e
n
s
i
o
s
L
i
n
k
s
D
i
s
c
o
u
r
s
e
W
a
r
n
i
n
g
s
C
o
d
i
n
g
G
u
i
d
e
l
i
n
e
s
N
a
m
i
n
g
C
o
n
v
e
n
t
i
o
n
s
T
o
d
o
c
o
m
m
e
n
t
s
C
l
a
s
s
R
e
f
e
r
e
n
c
e
s
S
u
b
c
l
a
s
s
e
s
E
x
p
l
a
n
a
t
i
o
n
R
e
f
e
r
e
n
c
e
O
t
h
e
r
R
e
s
o
u
r
c
e
s
I
m
p
l
e
m
e
n
t
a
t
i
o
n
P
o
i
n
t
s
E
x
a
m
p
l
e
s
K
e
y
M
e
s
s
a
g
e
s
I
n
s
t
a
n
c
e
V
a
r
i
a
b
l
e
s
C
o
l
l
a
b
a
r
t
o
r
s
R
e
s
p
o
n
s
i
b
i
l
i
t
y
I
n
t
e
n
t
External
projects
Total
Internal
(Pharo
core)

32. 32
Color scale according to percentage of comments falling into a category
0 50 100
Internal
External
GToolkit
Seaside
Roassal
Moose
PolyMath
Petit
Pillar
O
t
h
e
r
L
i
c
e
n
s
e
D
e
p
e
n
d
e
n
c
i
e
s
C
o
n
t
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a
c
t
s
O
b
s
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v
a
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o
n
s
R
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c
o
m
m
e
n
d
a
t
i
o
n
s
E
x
t
e
n
s
i
o
s
L
i
n
k
s
D
i
s
c
o
u
r
s
e
W
a
r
n
i
n
g
s
C
o
d
i
n
g
G
u
i
d
e
l
i
n
e
s
N
a
m
i
n
g
C
o
n
v
e
n
t
i
o
n
T
o
d
o
c
o
m
m
e
n
t
s
C
l
a
s
s
R
e
f
e
r
e
n
c
e
s
S
u
b
c
l
a
s
s
e
s
E
x
p
l
a
n
a
t
R
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f
e
r
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c
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O
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r
R
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s
I
m
p
l
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m
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n
t
a
t
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o
n
P
o
i
E
x
a
m
p
l
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s
K
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y
M
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s
s
a
g
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s
I
n
s
t
a
n
c
e
V
a
r
i
a
b
l
e
s
C
o
l
l
a
b
a
r
t
o
r
s
R
e
s
p
o
n
s
i
b
i
l
i
t
y
I
n
t
e
n
t
External
projects
Total
Color scale according to percentage of comments falling into a category
Internal
External
GToolkit
Seaside
Roassal
Moose
PolyMath
Petit
Pillar
O
t
h
e
r
L
i
c
e
n
s
e
D
e
p
e
n
d
e
n
c
i
e
s
C
o
n
t
r
a
c
t
s
O
b
s
e
r
v
a
t
i
o
n
s
R
e
c
o
m
m
e
n
d
a
t
i
o
n
s
E
x
t
e
n
s
i
o
s
L
i
n
k
s
D
i
s
c
o
u
r
s
e
W
a
r
n
i
n
g
s
C
o
d
i
n
g
G
u
i
d
e
l
i
n
e
s
N
a
m
i
n
g
C
o
n
v
e
n
t
i
o
n
s
T
o
d
o
c
o
m
m
e
n
t
s
C
l
a
s
s
R
e
f
e
r
e
n
c
e
s
S
u
b
c
l
a
s
s
e
s
E
x
p
l
a
n
a
t
i
o
n
R
e
f
e
r
e
n
c
e
O
t
h
e
r
R
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s
o
u
r
c
e
s
I
m
p
l
e
m
e
n
t
a
t
i
o
n
P
o
i
n
t
s
E
x
a
m
p
l
e
s
K
e
y
M
e
s
s
a
g
e
s
I
n
s
t
a
n
c
e
V
a
r
i
a
b
l
e
s
C
o
l
l
a
b
a
r
t
o
r
s
R
e
s
p
o
n
s
i
b
i
l
i
t
y
I
n
t
e
n
t
Categories
External
projects
Total
Core developers and external developers vary

33. 33
We analyse from three perspectives
P1
Commenting trend
Comment
adherence to
template
P3
Comment
information types
P2
Do developers
follow guidelines?

34. Each community has its own guidelines
Apache
Oracle
Google Smalltalk
PEP8/257
34
Coding style guidlines

35. Each community has its own guidelines
Apache
Oracle
Google Smalltalk
PEP8/257
35
State a one line of summary
Summary should be written in
fi
rst
person style
Coding style guidlines

36. 36
Smalltalk comment template

37. 37
Measure adherence to template

38. 38
Measure adherence to template
Color scale according to number of comments falling into a category
0 25 52
0 26 52
1 (52)
2 (52)
3 (52)
4 (52)
5 (52)
6 (52)
7 (52)
O
t
h
e
r
L
i
c
e
n
s
e
D
e
p
e
n
d
e
n
c
i
e
s
C
o
n
t
r
a
c
t
s
O
b
s
e
r
v
a
t
i
o
n
s
R
e
c
o
m
m
e
n
d
a
t
i
o
n
s
E
x
t
e
n
s
i
o
s
L
i
n
k
s
D
i
s
c
o
u
r
s
e
W
a
r
n
i
n
g
s
C
o
d
i
n
g
G
u
i
d
e
l
i
n
e
s
N
a
m
i
n
g
C
o
n
v
e
n
t
i
o
n
s
T
o
d
o
c
o
m
m
e
n
t
s
C
l
a
s
s
R
e
f
e
r
e
n
c
e
s
S
u
b
c
l
a
s
s
e
s
E
x
p
l
a
n
a
t
i
o
n
R
e
f
e
r
e
n
c
e
O
t
h
e
r
R
e
s
o
u
r
c
e
s
I
m
p
l
e
m
e
n
t
a
t
i
o
n
P
o
i
n
t
s
E
x
a
m
p
l
e
s
K
e
y
M
e
s
s
a
g
e
s
I
n
s
t
a
n
c
e
V
a
r
i
a
b
l
e
s
C
o
l
l
a
b
a
r
t
o
r
s
R
e
s
p
o
n
s
i
b
i
l
i
t
y
I
n
t
e
n
t
Categories
Pharo
versions
(total
classes)

39. 39
31%
38%
37%
Smalltalk
Python
Java
Followed rules
31%
38%
37%
Smalltalk
Python
Java
Followed rules
Measure adherence to template

40. 40
31%
38%
37%
30%
7%
2%
Smalltalk
Python
Java
Followed rules Not followed rules
31%
38%
37%
30%
7%
2%
Smalltalk
Python
Java
Followed rules Not followed rules
Measure adherence to template

41. 41
31%
38%
37%
30%
7%
2%
40%
55%
60%
Smalltalk
Python
Java
Followed rules Not followed rules Not applicable rules
31%
38%
37%
30%
7%
2%
40%
55%
60%
Smalltalk
Python
Java
Followed rules Not followed rules Not applicable rules
Measure adherence to template
Developers do not always adopt conventions (not applicable rules)

42. 42
Developers embed 23 types of information in class
comments
Developers follow template inspired information types
more often than others
Takeaway

43. 43
The ultimate goal of automatically assessing
comments is still far away…

44. 44
Which information types do developers find important?
How do various information types support developers?
How to extract them automatically?
Future work

45. 45
https://twitter.com/poojaruhal http://scg.unibe.ch/staff/Pooja-Rani
What do class comments tell us?
An investigation of comment evolution and practices in
Pharo Smalltalk
Paper
https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/
s10664-021-09981-5.pdf
Replication Package on GitHub
https://github.com/poojaruhal/CommentAnalysisInPharo
Contact us