Locating features is one of the most common software development activities. It is typically
done during maintenance and evolution, when developers need to identify the exact places
in a codebase where specific features are implemented. Unfortunately, locating features is
laborious and error-prone, since feature knowledge fades, projects are developed by
different developers, and features are often scattered across the codebase. Recognizing the
need, many automated feature location techniques have been proposed, which try to …

… In this work, we take a different approach in addressing the feature location problem (aka,
concern location or concept assignment problem). We present FeatRacer, which addresses
the shortcomings of both feature recording and automated feature location by allowing
developers to record features proactively and continuously during development. FeatRacer
relies on embedded code annotations and a machine-learning-based recommender system. …