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Refactoring source code is a key technique for maintaining a high-quality codebase, keeping the code clean, modular, understandable, and adaptable to change in the long run. Modern Integrated Development Environments (IDEs), unlike plain text editors, provide automated support for various refactorings (e.g., move class, extract method). IDEs have seen major advances over the decades, but remain constrained by conventional bento-box interfaces and input methods (e.g., keyboard). Recent advances in Virtual Reality (VR) and eXtended Reality (XR) technology, have opened up the possibility of rethinking IDEs, where the I does not stand for integrated, but for immersive.

We present a novel approach for refactoring source code in VR, combining customizable software visualizations and the interaction capabilities of modern VR controllers. Whereas existing research on depicting software in VR has remained within the realm of “read-only” comprehension, we take it a step further, making it possible to rewrite the underlying codebase by performing interactions in VR which encode refactorings. We present two examples where, through ambidextrous interactions and controller triggers, developers can gather information about the system and modify it at different abstraction levels. We conclude with a reflection on the integration of XR features into modern IDEs versus the development of new standalone XR-native IDEs.

Sat 3 May

Displayed time zone: Eastern Time (US & Canada) change

11:00 - 12:30
Session 1: Visions of the future, & Session 2: Diversity of environmentsIDE at 205
Chair(s): Carolin Brandt TU Delft, Danny Dig University of Colorado Boulder, JetBrains Research

11:00–11:45 — Session 1. Visions of the future.

11:45–12:30 — Session 2. Diversity of environments.

11:00
15m
Talk
In-IDE Programming Courses: Learning Software Development in a Real-World Setting
IDE
Anastasiia Birillo JetBrains Research, Ilya Vlasov JetBrains Research, Katsiaryna Dzialets JetBrains, Hieke Keuning Utrecht University, Timofey Bryksin JetBrains Research
Pre-print
11:15
15m
Talk
Code Refactoring in Virtual Reality
IDE
Mattia Giannaccari , Marco Raglianti Software Institute - USI, Lugano, Michele Lanza Software Institute - USI, Lugano
Pre-print
11:30
15m
Talk
Rethinking IDE Customization for Enhanced HAX: A Hyperdimensional Perspective
IDE
Roham Koohestani Delft University of Technology, Maliheh Izadi Delft University of Technology
Pre-print
11:45
15m
Talk
Improving Developer Experience for Newbie and Casual Array Programmers
IDE
David Thomas Bederra Corp., Will Samadi Bederra Corporation
12:00
15m
Talk
Enhancing Block Composition: The Role of Category Highlighting in Block-Based Environments
IDE
Niels Kok Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Mauricio Verano Merino Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Pre-print
12:15
15m
Talk
Evolving the Computational Notebook: A Two-Dimensional Canvas for Enhanced Human-AI Interaction
IDE
Konstantin Grotov JetBrains Research, Constructor University, Dmitry Botov Neapolis University Paphos
Pre-print
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