Software Code Ergonomics in Microservice Architecture

This paper proposes an extended approach to assessing software ergonomics, combining the analysis of classical abstractions such as “functions”, “classes”, and “modules” with the peculiarities of microservice architectures. The study develops a methodology based on the “7±2” rule and inconsistency coefficient for abstraction hierarchies, adapting it to distributed systems. The work introduces three new metrics for microservices: API consistency factor, service autonomy index, and efficiency metric of resource utilization, all supported by the structural properties of systems. Problem Statement. In modern programming, with widespread adoption of microservice architecture, maintaining and evolving software become priority tasks. Poor ergonomics of growing code bases can lead to substantial labour and financial costs. Therefore, evaluation tools for software ergonomics in microservice architecture are necessary. The aim of the study is to develop a comprehensive assessment system for software ergonomics tailored to microservice architecture. The study results in addressing the evaluation of software ergonomics, defining ergonomics characteristics of code, and introducing three core metrics for assessing microservice architecture ergonomics. The practical significance of the work lies in the fact that hierarchical design approaches and evaluation methods of code ergonomics must provide standardized means for assessing software ergonomics in microservice architecture. These tools will allow simplifying the process of maintenance and enhancement of software products.