Abstract:
Software visualisation employs various representations of software to help programmers
better understand program code. However, there are many technologies
that can be used to deliver software visualisations. These different software visualisation
media have varying capabilities, and determining which medium is
best suited for a particular software visualisation application can be a complex
task. To this end, this thesis presents a principled model for evaluating software
visualisation media. This model is then applied in the evaluation of the new
“Scalable Vector Graphics” (SVG) standard, to determine if it is suited for use in
a developing web-based software visualisation architecture. While the evaluation
finds that SVG can realise a broad range of software visualisations, it is clear that
it falls short in making the development of software visualisations as easy as it
could. This thesis presents a way forward for creating complex software visualisations
with SVG through the development of a domain-specific SVG library. The
foundation for this library is illustrated and discussed.
