The Impact of eXtreme Programming on Maintenance

Abstract

One of the emerging techniques for managing software project is eXtreme Programming (XP), which surely is changing the way in which we develop and manage software. XP is based on four values and 12 rules that explain how to develop software in an XP-compliant mode. In this chapter, all values and rules are addressed and the XP lifecycle of a project is introduced in order to guide the reader in discovering how XP can aid maintenance by keeping maintenance costs constant over time. Before drawing conclusions, the direct impact on the maintenance process due to the adoption of XP values and rules is also exploited at the end of the chapter.