Replication Package – Refactoring for Novices in Java with Eye Tracking

Developers extract methods aiming to make the code easier to read, understand, and reuse. Inlining keeps logic in a single block, while method extraction isolates functionality into a named unit, which is a common practice. Although prior studies using static metrics could not find differences between these practices, the human factor in code comprehension and navigation remains underexplored. Code metrics might not capture other dynamic aspects such as the impact of a method extraction on the visual effort of developers. Therefore, we aim to investigate the impact of Inline and Extract Method refactorings on code comprehension using a dynamic approach based on tracking participants eye movements as they interact with the code. Through eye tracking, we examine how small structural changes such as introducing or removing short methods affect code comprehensibility by analyzing key code areas and comparing visual effort, reading behavior, fixation durations, and revisit patterns.