Structural Complexity Metrics for Laravel Software

Existing software complexity metrics do not adequately address the unique architectural patterns of Laravel. This research, therefore, solves this problem by proposing a suite of novel complexity metrics for Laravel software. The metric definition employs the Entity-Attribute-Metric-Tooling (EAMT) model. These proposed metrics are designed to assess the complexity of Laravel software at the class level within Laravel's Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture as guided by an Architecture-based Complexity Classification Framework for Laravel Software (ACCFLS). The metrics offer a better approach to understanding and managing software complexity in Laravel projects. The study defined three composite metrics namely Controller Complexity Metrics for Laravel (CCMLV), Model Complexity Metrics for Laravel (MCMLV), and View Complexity Metrics for Laravel (VCMLV). They were theoretically validated with Weyuker's properties framework and satisfied seven out of the nine properties, which is an acceptable compliance level. Moreover, the validation of the metrics against the Kaner framework further emphasizes their practicability and relevance to real-world software development scenarios. This research not only contributes to a deeper understanding of software complexity in Laravel applications but also lays the groundwork for future empirical validation and the development of automated tools for complexity measurement.