Software engineering
27010
224899561
2008-07-10T22:21:18Z
Bruce Esrig
662063
change Model Driven Software Development to Model Driven Design
{{Cleanup-laundry|date=February 2008}}
'''Software engineering''' is the application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of [[software]].<ref>“IEEE Standard Glossary of Software Engineering Terminology,” [[IEEE]] std 610.12-1990, 1990, quoted at the beginning of Chapter 1: Introduction to the guide {{cite web|url=http://www.swebok.org/swebokcontents-ch1.html#ch1 |title=Guide to the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge|date=February 6, 2004|accessdate=2008-02-21}}</ref> It encompasses techniques and procedures, often regulated by a [[software development process]], with the purpose of improving the reliability and maintainability of software systems.<ref>{{cite book | last = Pecht | first = Michael | coauthors = | year = 1995
| title = Product Reliability, Maintainability, and Supportability Handbook | publisher = CRC Press| location = | id = ISBN 0-8493-9457-0}}</ref> The effort is necessitated by the potential complexity of those systems, which may contain millions of [[Source lines of code|lines of code]].<ref>{{cite journal| last = Pehrson | first = Ronald J. | year = 1996 | month = January | title = Software Development for the Boeing 777 | journal = CrossTalk: The Journal of Defense Software Engineering | url = http://www.stsc.hill.af.mil/crosstalk/1996/01/Boein777.asp}}, "The 2.5 million lines of newly developed software were approximately six times more than any previous Boeing commercial airplane development program. Including commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) and optional software, the total size is more than 4 million lines of code."</ref>
The term ''software engineering'' was popularized by [[F.L. Bauer]] during the NATO Software Engineering Conference in 1968.<ref> {{cite web
| url = http://www.cs.utexas.edu/users/EWD/transcriptions/EWD11xx/EWD1165.html
| title = There is still a war going on (manuscript Austin, 3 December 1993)
| accessdate = 2007-02-17 | last = Dijkstra | first = Edsger W| authorlink = Edsger Dijkstra
| coauthors = transcribed by Mario Béland
|date = 1993-12-03; transcription last revised 2004-11-23
| work = E. W. Dijkstra Archive
| publisher = The University of Texas at Austin, Department of Computer Sciences
| quote = When the term was coined in 1968 by F.L. Bauer of the Technological University of Munich, I welcomed it. }}</ref>
The discipline of software engineering includes knowledge, tools, and methods for [[Requirements analysis| software requirements]], [[software design]], [[computer programming|software construction]], [[software testing]], and [[software maintenance]] tasks.<ref >Table 1 in Chapter 1,{{cite web| url=http://www.swebok.org/swebokcontents-ch1.html#ch1 |title=Guide to the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge|date=February 6, 2004|accessdate=2008-02-21}}</ref> Software engineering is related to the disciplines of [[computer science]], [[computer engineering]], [[management]], [[mathematics]], [[project management]], [[quality management]], software [[ergonomics]], and [[systems engineering]].<ref >Table 2 in Chapter 1,{{cite web| url=http://www.swebok.org/swebokcontents-ch1.html#ch1 |title=Guide to the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge|date=February 6, 2004|accessdate=2008-02-21}}</ref>
In 2004, the [[Bureau of Labor Statistics|U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics]] counted 760,840 software engineers holding jobs in the [[United States|U.S.]]; in the same time period there were some 1.4 million practitioners employed in the U.S. in all other engineering disciplines combined.<ref>Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, [ftp://ftp.bls.gov/pub/news.release/ocwage.txt ''USDL 05-2145: Occupational Employment and Wages, November 2004''], Table 1.</ref> Due to its relative newness as a field of study, formal education in software engineering is often taught as part of a computer science curriculum, and as a result most software engineers hold computer science degrees.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://computingcareers.acm.org/?page_id=12|title=Software Engineering|accessdate=2008-02-01}}</ref>
==Ambiguity and controversy==
{{main|Debates within software engineering|Controversies over the term Engineer}}
Typical formal definitions of software engineering are:
*"the application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of [[software]]".<ref name="IEEE610a">“IEEE Standard Glossary of Software Engineering Terminology,” [[IEEE]] std 610.12-1990, 1990.</ref>
*"an engineering discipline that is concerned with all aspects of software production"<ref name="Sommerville1">{{cite book|last= Sommerville|first=Ian|authorlink=Ian Sommerville
| title = Software Engineering|origyear = 1982
| url = http://www.pearsoned.co.uk/HigherEducation/Booksby/Sommerville/
| edition = 8th ed. | year = 2007
| publisher = Pearson Education | location = Harlow, England
| isbn = 0-321-31379-8 | pages = P. 7 | chapter = 1.1.2 What is software engineering?
| quote = Software engineeering is an engineering discipline that is concerned with all aspects of software production from the early stages of system specification to maintaining the system after it has gone into use. In this definition, there are two key phrases: <br>
1. ''Engineeering discipline'' Engineers make things work. They apply theories, methods and tools where these are appropriate [. . .] Engineers also recognise that they must work to organisational and financial constraints. [. . .]<br>
2. ''All aspects of software production'' Software engineering is not just concerned with the technical processes of software development but also with activities such as software project management and with the development of tools, methods and theories to support software production. }} </ref>
*"the establishment and use of sound engineering principles in order to economically obtain software that is reliable and works efficiently on real machines"<ref name="Bauer1">{{cite journal | authorlink=F. L. Bauer | title= Software Engineering | journal = Information Processing | volume = 71 | publisher = North-Holland Publishing Co. | year = 1972 | pages = 530–538}}</ref>
The term has been used less formally:
* as the informal contemporary term for the broad range of activities that were formerly called [[programming]] and [[systems analysis]];<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.micsymposium.org/mics_2002/SALAH.PDF|publisher=35th Annual Midwest Instruction and Computing Symposium|date=2002-04-05|accessdate=2006-09-13|author=Akram I. Salah|title=Engineering an Academic Program in Software Engineering}}: "For some, software engineering is just a glorified name for programming. If you are a programmer, you might put 'software engineer' on your business card—never 'programmer' though."</ref>
* as the broad term for all aspects of the ''practice'' of computer programming, as opposed to the ''theory'' of computer programming, which is called [[computer science]];<ref>Mills, Harlan D., J. R. Newman, and C. B. Engle, Jr., "An Undergraduate Curriculum in Software Engineering," in {{cite book|title=Software Engineering Education: SEI Conference 1990, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, April 2-3,...|first = Lionel E.|last=Deimel|year=1990|publisher=Springer|id=ISBN 0-387-97274-9}}, [http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN3540972749&id=ZuWbyy2blMEC&pg=PA26&lpg=PA26&sig=Yxs2mS5S0Xs2cnGv2vYsYUcFNQM p. 26]: "As a practical matter, we regard software engineering as the necessary preparation for the practicing, software development and maintenance professional. The Computer Scientist is preparing for further theoretical studies..."</ref>
* as the term embodying the ''advocacy'' of a specific approach to computer programming, one that urges that it be treated as an [[engineering]] discipline rather than an art or a craft, and advocates the codification of recommended practices.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://evidence.cs.keele.ac.uk/rebse.html|title=Realizing Evidence-based Software Engineering|accessdate=2006-10-18|date=2004-12-14|author=David Budgen, Pearl Brereton, Barbara Kitchenham, Stephen Linkman}}: "We believe that software engineering can only advance as an engineering discipline by moving away from its current dependence upon advocacy and analysis...."</ref>
Some people believe that ''software engineering'' implies a certain level of academic training, professional discipline, and adherence to formal processes that often are not applied in cases of software development. A common analogy is that working in [[construction]] does not make one a [[civil engineer]], and so writing [[Source code|code]] does not make one a software engineer. The notion that the field is mature enough to warrant the title "engineering" is disputed.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} In each of the last few decades, at least one radical new approach has entered the mainstream of software development (e.g. [[Structured programming|Structured Programming]], [[Object-oriented programming|Object Orientation]]), implying that the field is still changing too rapidly to be considered an engineering discipline. Proponents argue that the supposedly radical new approaches are evolutionary rather than revolutionary.{{Fact|date=February 2007}}
Individual commentators have disagreed sharply on how to define ''software engineering'' or its legitimacy as an engineering discipline. [[David Parnas]] has said that software engineering is, in fact, a form of engineering.<ref>{{cite journal | last = Parnas
| first = David L.
| authorlink = David Parnas
| year = 1998
| title = [http://citeseer.ist.psu.edu/parnas98software.html Software Engineering Programmes are not Computer Science Programmes]
| journal = Annals of Software Engineering
| volume = 6
| pages = 19–37
| doi = 10.1023/A:1018949113292
}}, p. 19: "Rather than treat software engineering as a subfield of
computer science, I treat it as an element of the set, {Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering,
Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering,....}."
</ref><ref>{{cite journal | last = Parnas
| first = David L.
| authorlink = David Parnas
| year = 1998
| title = [http://citeseer.ist.psu.edu/parnas98software.html Software Engineering Programmes are not Computer Science Programmes]
| journal = Annals of Software Engineering
| volume = 6
| pages = 19–37
| doi = 10.1023/A:1018949113292
}}, p. 20: "This paper argues that the introduction of accredited professional programmes in software engineering, programmes that are modelled on programmes in traditional engineering disciplines will help to increase both the quality and quantity of graduates who are well prepared, by their education, to develop trustworthy software products."
</ref> [[Steve McConnell]] has said that it is not, but that it should be.<ref>{{cite book | last = McConnell
| first = Steve
| authorlink = Steve McConnell
| year = 2003
| month = August
| title = Professional Software Development: Shorter Schedules, Better Projects, Superior Products, Enhanced Careers
| publisher = Addison-Wesley
| location = Boston, MA
| id = ISBN 0-321-19367-9
}}, p. 39: "In my opinion, the
answer to that question is clear: Professional software development should be engineering. Is it? No. But should it be? Unquestionably, yes. "</ref> [[Donald Knuth]] has said that programming is an art and a science.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Knuth | first=Donald| authorlink=Donald Knuth |year = 1974| title= [http://fresh.homeunix.net/~luke/misc/knuth-turingaward.pdf Computer Programming as an Art] | journal = Communications of the ACM | volume = 17 | issue = 12 | pages = 667–673}} Transcript of the 1974 [[Turing Award]] lecture.</ref> [[Edsger W. Dijkstra]] claimed that the terms ''software engineering'' and ''software engineer'' have been misused, particularly in the [[United States]].<ref> {{cite web
| url = http://www.cs.utexas.edu/users/EWD/transcriptions/EWD11xx/EWD1165.html
| title = There is still a war going on (manuscript Austin, 3 December 1993)
| accessdate = 2007-02-17 | last = Dijkstra | first = Edsger W| authorlink = Edsger Dijkstra
| coauthors = transcribed by Mario Béland
|date = 1993-12-03; transcription last revised 2004-11-23
| work = E. W. Dijkstra Archive
| publisher = The University of Texas at Austin, Department of Computer Sciences
| quote = When the term was coined in 1968 by F.L. Bauer of the Technological University of Munich, I welcomed it. [. . .] I interpreted the introduction of the term “software engineering” as an apt reflection of the fact that the design of software systems was an activity par excellence for the mathematical engineer. [. . .]. As soon the term arrived in the USA, it was relieved of all its technical content. It had to be so for in its original meaning it was totally unacceptable [. . .] In the mean time, software engineering has become an almost empty term, as was nicely demonstrated by Data General who overnight promoted all its programmers to the exalted rank of “software engineer”! }}</ref>
===Regulatory classification===
The [[Bureau of Labor Statistics|U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics]] classifies ''computer software engineers'' as a subcategory of "computer specialists", along with occupations such as computer scientist, programmer, and network administrator.<ref>U.S Department of Labor and Statistics [http://www.bls.gov/soc/soc_c0a0.htm ''The 2000 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) System: 15-0000 Computer and Mathematical Occupations'']</ref> The BLS classifies all other engineering disciplines, including computer hardware engineers, as "engineers".<ref>U.S Department of Labor and Statistics [http://www.bls.gov/soc/soc_d0a0.htm ''The 2000 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) System: 17-0000 Architecture and Engineering Occupations'']</ref>
The U.K. has seen the alignment of the Information Technology Professional and the Engineering Professionals.<ref> [http://www.bcs.org/about 'British Computer Society'] - "BCS is licensed by the Engineering Council to award Chartered Engineer status (CEng) and Incorporated Engineer status (IEng);" [http://www.bcs.org/about]</ref>
Software engineering in Canada has seen some contests in the courts over the use of the title "Software Engineer"<ref>[http://www.peo.on.ca/ 'Professional Engineers of Ontario'] - "Quebec Engineers win court battle against Microsoft"[http://www.peo.on.ca/enforcement/Quebec_MS_April2004.pdf]</ref> The Canadian Council of Professional Engineers (C.C.P.E. or "Engineers Canada") will not grant a "Professional Engineer" status/license to anyone who has not completed a recognized academic engineering program.{{Fact|date=February 2008}} Engineers qualified outside Canada are similarly unable to obtain a "Professional Engineer" license.<ref>[http://capeinfo.ca/ Council for Access to the Profession of Engineering]</ref>{{Request citation|date=February 2008}}
Some of the United States of America regulate the use of terms such as "computer engineer" and even "software engineer". These states include at least Texas<ref>[http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/search/wrapper.jsp?arnumber=805472 IEEE Software: "What do you mean I can't call myself a Software Engineer?"]</ref> and Florida<ref>[http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=Ch0471/ch0471.htm Florida Statutes: Chapter 471: Engineering]</ref>. Texas even goes so far as to ban anyone from writing any real-time code without an engineering license.
==Education==
{{Globalize/US and Canada}}
About half of all practitioners today have [[computer science]] [[academic degree|degree]]s. A small, but growing, number of practitioners have software engineering [[academic degree|degree]]s. In 1996, [[Rochester Institute of Technology]] established the first software engineering [[Bachelor's degree]] program in the United States but did not obtain [[ABET]] until 2003, the same time as [[Clarkson University]], [[Milwaukee School of Engineering]] and [[Mississippi State University]].<ref name="ABETACCRED1">{{cite web|url=http://www.abet.org/accrediteac.asp |title=ABET Accredited Engineering Programs|date=April 3, 2007|accessdate=2007-04-03}}</ref> Since then, software engineering undergraduate degrees have been established at many universities. A standard international curriculum for undergraduate software engineering degrees was recently defined by the [[CCSE]]. [[As of 2004]], in the U.S., about 50 universities offer software engineering degrees, which teach both computer science and engineering principles and practices. The first software engineering [[Master's degree]] was established at [[Seattle University]] in 1979. Since then graduate software engineering degrees have been made available from many more universities. Likewise in Canada, the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) of the [[Canadian Council of Professional Engineers]] has recognized software engineering programs in engineering faculties such as [[McMaster University]], the [[University of Waterloo]], the [[University of Ottawa]] and the [[University of Western Ontario]], the [[University of Calgary]], the [[University of Victoria]], [[École Polytechnique de Montréal]], [[McGill University]] the ETS in Montréal and the [[Université Laval]] in 2006.<ref>{{cite web|author=PEO|url=http://www.peo.on.ca/enforcement/ja01software_news1.pdf|title=CEAB accredits first software programs|accessdate=2007-04-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=CCPE|url=http://www.ccpe.ca/e/files/syllabus_4_19.pdf|title=Software Engineering Syllabus - 2004|accessdate=2007-04-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=University of Victoria|url=http://www.bseng.uvic.ca/pages/home/news.php#86|title=Full Accreditation granted to our Software Engineering Degree (BSEng) Program!|accessdate=2007-12-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=McGill University|url=https://home.mcgill.ca/engineering/degrees/undergrad/software/|title=Full Accreditation has been granted to our Software Engineering Degree (B.S.E.) Program!|accessdate=2008-04-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Université Laval|url=http://www.ift.ulaval.ca/nouvelle/article/24/accreditation-par-le-bcapi/?cHash=5f37ed45c7|title=Accréditation par le BCAPI|accessdate=2008-01-05}}</ref>
In 1998, the US [[Naval Postgraduate School]] (NPS) established the first [[doctorate]] program in Software Engineering in the world.{{Fact|date=June 2007}} As of the beginning of 2006, thirteen students had graduated from the program and assumed senior-level leadership roles in the [[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]] research and development community.{{Fact|date=June 2007}} Additionally, many online advanced degrees in Software Engineering have appeared such as the Master of Science in Software Engineering (MSE) degree offered through the Computer Science and Engineering Department at [[California State University, Fullerton]].
Steve McConnell opines that because most universities teach computer science rather than software engineering, there is a shortage of true software engineers.<ref>McConnell, Steve ([[July 10]], [[2003]]. ''Professional Software Development: Shorter Schedules, Higher Quality Products, More Successful Projects, Enhanced Careers''. ISBN 978-0321193674.</ref>
ETS University and UQAM were mandated by IEEE to develop the SoftWare Engineering BOdy of Knowledge [[SWEBOK]] which has become an ISO standard describing the body of knowledge covered by a software engineer.
===Other degrees===
In business, some practitioners have [[Management Information Systems|MIS]] degrees. In [[embedded systems]], some practitioners have [[electrical engineering|electrical]] or [[computer engineering]] degrees, because embedded software often requires a detailed understanding of hardware. In medical software, some practitioners have [[medical informatics]], general medical, or biology degrees.{{Fact|date=February 2008}}
Some practitioners have [[mathematics]], [[science]], [[engineering]], or [[technology]] degrees. Some have [[philosophy]] (logic in particular) or other non-technical degrees.{{Fact|date=February 2008}} And, some have no degrees.{{Fact|date=February 2008}} For instance, [[Barry Boehm]] earned degrees in [[mathematics]].
==Profession==
===Employment===
:''See also: [[software engineering demographics]]''
Most software engineers work as employees or contractors. Software engineers work with businesses, government agencies (civilian or military), and non-profit organizations. Some software engineers work for themselves as [[freelancer]]s. Some organizations have specialists to perform each of the tasks in the [[software development process]]. Other organizations required software engineers to do many or all of them. In large projects, people may specialize in only one role. In small projects, people may fill several or all roles at the same time. Specializations include: in industry ([[Requirements analysis|analysts]], [[Software architecture|architects]], [[Software developer|developers]], [[Software testing|testers]], [[technical support]], [[Project management|managers]]) and in academia ([[educator]]s, [[researcher]]s).
There is considerable debate over the future employment prospects for Software Engineers and other [[Information Technology|IT]] Professionals. For example, an online futures market called the [http://www.ideosphere.com/fx-bin/Claim?claim=ITJOBS Future of IT Jobs in America] attempts to answer whether there will be more IT jobs, including software engineers, in 2012 than there were in [[2002]].
===Certification===
[[Professional certification (Computer technology)|Professional certification of software engineers]] is a contentious issue.{{Fact|date=May 2007}} Some see it as a tool to improve [[Professional engineer|professional practice]].{{Fact|date=May 2007}}
Most successful certification programs in the software industry are oriented toward specific technologies, and are managed by the vendors of these technologies.{{Fact|date=May 2007}} These certification programs are tailored to the institutions that would employ people who use these technologies.
The [[Association for Computing Machinery|ACM]] had a professional certification program in the early 1980s, which was discontinued due to lack of interest.{{Fact|date=May 2007}} [[As of 2006]], the [[IEEE]] had certified over 575 software professionals.<ref>{{cite web|author=IEEE Computer Society|url=http://www.ifip.org/minutes/GA2006/Tab18b-US-IEEE.pdf|title=2006 IEEE COMPUTER SOCIETY REPORT TO THE IFIP GENERAL ASSEMBLY|accessdate=2007-04-10}}</ref> In Canada the [[Canadian Information Processing Society]] has developed a legally recognized professional certification called ''Information Systems Professional (ISP)''.<ref>{{cite web|author=Canadian Information Processing Society|url=http://www.cips.ca/standards/isp|title=I.S.P. Designation|accessdate=2007-03-15}}</ref>
===Impact of globalization===
Many students in the developed world have avoided degrees related to software engineering because of the fear of [[offshore outsourcing]] (importing software products or services from other countries) and of being displaced by [[Foreign Worker Visa|foreign visa workers]].<ref>[http://www.computerworld.com/printthis/2006/0,4814,111202,00.html As outsourcing gathers steam, computer science interest wanes<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Although government statistics do not currently show a threat to software engineering itself; a related career, [[computer programming]] does appear to have been affected.<ref>[http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos110.htm#outlook Computer Programmers<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.infoworld.com/article/07/03/13/HNslowsoftdev_1.html Software developer growth slows in North America | InfoWorld | News | 2007-03-13 | By Robert Mullins, IDG News Service<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Often one is expected to start out as a computer programmer before being promoted to software engineer. Thus, the career path to software engineering may be rough, especially during recessions.
Some career counselors suggest a student also focus on "people skills" and business skills rather than purely technical skills because such "soft skills" are allegedly more difficult to offshore.<ref>[http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleTOC&specialReportId=9000100&articleId=112360 Hot Skills, Cold Skills<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> It is the quasi-management aspects of software engineering that appear to be what has kept it from being impacted by globalization.<ref>[http://itmanagement.earthweb.com/career/article.php/3523066 Dual Roles: The Changing Face of IT<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
===Comparing related fields===
{{main|Comparing software engineering and related fields}}
Many fields are closely related to software engineering; here are some key similarities and distinctions. Comparing SE with other fields helps explain what SE is and helps define what SE might or should become. There is considerable debate over which fields SE most resembles (or should most resemble). These complex and inexact comparisons explain why some see software engineering as its own field.
==History==
{{main|History of software engineering}}
Software engineering has a long evolving history. Both the tools that are used and the applications that are written have evolved over time. It seems likely that software engineering will continue evolving for many decades to come.
===60 year time line===
* 1940s{{Fact|date=February 2007}}: First computer users wrote machine code by hand.
* 1950s: Early tools, such as macro assemblers and interpreters were created and widely used to improve productivity and quality{{Fact|date=February 2007}}. First-generation optimizing compilers{{Fact|date=February 2007}}.
* 1960s: Second generation tools like optimizing compilers and inspections were being used to improve productivity and quality{{Fact|date=February 2007}}. The concept of software engineering was widely discussed{{Fact|date=February 2007}}. First really big (1000 programmer) projects{{Fact|date=February 2007}}. Commercial mainframes and custom software for big business. The influential [[List of publications in computer science#Software engineering: Report of a conference sponsored by the NATO Science Committee|1968 NATO Conference on Software Engineering]] was held.
* 1970s: Collaborative software tools, such as [[Unix]], code repositories, [[make (software)|make]], and so on. [[Minicomputers]] and the rise of small business software.
* 1980s: [[Personal computers]] and personal workstations became common. Commensurate rise of consumer software. [[Smalltalk]]: the first commercial [[Object-oriented_programming|OOP]] language/platform that is UI based, Memory Managed, VM Image based, scripted/incremental.
* 1990s: [[Object-oriented programming]] and [[Agile software development|agile processes]] like [[Extreme programming]] gained mainstream acceptance{{Fact|date=February 2007}}. Computer memory capacity sky-rocketed and prices dropped drastically{{Fact|date=February 2007}}. These new technologies allowed software to grow more complex{{Fact|date=February 2007}}. The [[WWW]] and hand-held computers made software even more widely available.
* 2000s: [[Managed code]] and interpreted platforms such as [[Java (programming language)|Java]], [[.NET Framework|.NET]], [[Ruby (programming language)|Ruby]], [[Python (programming language)|Python]] and [[PHP]] made writing software easier than ever before{{Fact|date=February 2007}}. [[Offshore outsourcing]] changed the nature and focus of software engineering careers.
===Current trends in software engineering===
Software engineering is a young discipline, and is still developing. The directions in which software engineering is developing include:
; Aspects: [[Aspect-oriented programming|Aspects]] help software engineers deal with [[quality attributes]] by providing tools to add or remove [[Boilerplate (text)|boilerplate]] code from many areas in the [[source code]]. Aspects describe how all objects or functions should behave in particular circumstances. For example, [[aspect (computer science)|aspect]]s can add [[debugging]], [[Data logging|logging]], or [[Lock (software engineering)|locking]] control into all objects of particular types. Researchers are currently working to understand how to use aspects to design general-purpose code. Related concepts include [[generative programming]] and [[Template (programming)|templates]].
; Agile: [[Agile software development]] guides [[software development]] projects that evolve rapidly with changing [[expectation]]s and competitive markets. Proponents of this method believe that heavy, document-driven processes (like [[TickIT]], [[CMM]] and [[ISO 9000]]) are fading in importance{{Fact|date=February 2007}}. Some people believe that companies and agencies export many of the jobs that can be guided by heavy-weight processes{{Fact|date=February 2007}}. Related concepts include [[Extreme Programming]] and [[Lean software development]].
; Experimental: [[Experimental software engineering]] is a branch of software engineering interested in devising [[experiment]]s on software, in collecting data from the experiments, and in devising laws and theories from this data. Proponents of this method advocate that the nature of software is such that we can advance the knowledge on software through experiments only{{Fact|date=February 2007}}.
; Model-driven: [[Model-driven development| Model Driven Design]] develops textual and graphical models as primary design artifacts. Development tools are available that use [[model transformation]] and [[code generation]] to generate well-organized code fragments that serve as a basis for producing complete applications.
; Software Product Lines: [[Product Family Engineering|Software Product Lines]] is a systematic way to produce ''families'' of software systems, instead of creating a succession of completely individual products. This method emphasizes extensive, systematic, formal [[code reuse]], to try to industrialize the software development process.
The ''[http://www.softwaresystems.org/future.html Future of Software Engineering]'' conference (FOSE), held at ICSE 2000, documented the state of the art of SE in 2000 and listed many problems to be solved over the next decade. The FOSE tracks at the [http://www.ul.ie/%7Eicse2000/ ICSE 2000] and the [http://web4.cs.ucl.ac.uk/icse07/ ICSE 2007] conferences also help identify the state of the art in software engineering.
===Software engineering today===
The profession is trying to define its boundary and content. The Software Engineering Body of Knowledge [[SWEBOK]] has been tabled as an ISO standard during 2006 (ISO/IEC TR 19759).
In 2006, Money Magazine and Salary.com rated software engineering as the best job in America in terms of growth, pay, stress levels, flexibility in hours and working environment, creativity, and how easy it is to enter and advance in the field.<ref>{{cite web
| last = Kalwarski
| first = Tara
| coauthors = Daphne Mosher, Janet Paskin and Donna Rosato
| year = 2006
| url = http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bestjobs/2006/
| title = Best Jobs in America
| work = MONEY Magazine
| publisher = CNN
| accessdate = 2006-04-20
}}, "MONEY Magazine and Salary.com researched hundreds of jobs, considering their growth, pay, stress-levels and other factors. These careers ranked highest. 1. Software Engineer..."</ref>
See also [[software engineering economics]].
==See also==
{{Portal|Software Testing}}
:''Main lists: [[List of basic software engineering topics]] and [[List of software engineering topics]]''
<div class="references-small" style="-moz-column-count:3; column-count:3;">
* [[Association for Computing Machinery]]
* [[ACCU (organisation)]]
* [[Computer Science]]
* [[Custom software development]]
* [[Informatics]]
* [[Search Based Software Engineering]]
* [[Software development]]
* [[Software Quality Assurance]]
* [[System testing]]
* [[Software Assurance]]
* [[Software System Safety]]
* [[Structured analysis]]
* [[Systems Analyst]]
* [[User experience]]
* [[List of software engineering conferences]]
* [[List of software engineering publications]]
* [[:Category:Software engineering organizations]]
*[[Service-Oriented Modeling]] Framework (SOMF)
</div>
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
==Further reading==
*{{cite book|last= Jalote|first=Pankaj|
| title = An Integrated Approach to Software Engineering |origyear = 1991
| url = http://www.springer.com/east/home?SGWID=5-102-22-52090005-0&changeHeader=true
| edition = 3th ed. | year = 2005
| publisher = Springer | location =
| isbn = 0-387-20881-X }}
*{{cite book|last= Sommerville|first=Ian|authorlink=Ian Sommerville
| title = Software Engineering|origyear = 1982
| url = http://www.pearsoned.co.uk/HigherEducation/Booksby/Sommerville/
| edition = 8th ed. | year = 2007
| publisher = Pearson Education | location = Harlow, England
| isbn = 0-321-31379-8 }}
*{{cite book|last= Pressman|first=Roger S|authorlink=Roger S. Pressman
| title = Software Engineering: A Practitioner's Approach |origyear =
| edition = 6th ed. | year = 2005
| publisher = McGraw-Hill | location = Boston, Mass
| isbn = 0072853182}}
* Carlo Ghezzi, Mehdi Jazayeri, Dino Mandrioli: ''Fundamentals of Software Engineering'', 2nd (International) ed.: 2003 (1st ed.: 1991), Pearson Education @ Prentice-Hall
* Colin Hood,Simon Wiedemann, Stefan Fichtinger, Urte Pautz ''Requirements Management: Interface Between Requirements Development and All Other Engineering Processes'' Springer, Berlin 2007, ISBN 354047689X
==External links==
* [http://www.swebok.org Guide to the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge]
* [http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos267.htm Computer Software Engineers] - Definition and statistics from the U.S. [[Bureau of Labor Statistics]]
* [http://www.laputan.org/mud/ Big Ball of Mud] A "yes but why not" point of view by Brian Foote and Joseph Yoder, Department of Computer Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
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[[Category:Software engineering| ]]
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[[ar:هندسة البرمجيات]]
[[ast:Inxeniería del software]]
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[[ca:Enginyeria de programari]]
[[cs:Softwarové inženýrství]]
[[da:Softwareudvikling]]
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[[es:Ingeniería de software]]
[[fa:مهندسی نرمافزار]]
[[fr:Génie logiciel]]
[[ga:Innealtóireacht bogearraí]]
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[[hr:Programsko inženjerstvo]]
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[[nl:Software Engineering]]
[[ja:ソフトウェア工学]]
[[no:Programvareutvikling]]
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[[pt:Engenharia de software]]
[[ro:Inginerie software]]
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[[sk:Softvérové inžinierstvo]]
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