2026-04-14T05:56:33Zhttps://recercat.cat/oai/request

oai:recercat.cat:2117/1804432026-02-07T09:27:32Zcom_2072_1033col_2072_452950

urn:hdl:2117/180443 Scale-free networks from optimal design Valverde Castillo, Sergio Ferrer Cancho, Ramon Solé Vicente, Ricard Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Informàtica::Enginyeria del software Software architecture Software engineering -- Research Scale-free networks Optimal design Complex networks Heterogeneous scale-free degree distributions Software architecture graphs Local optimization Conflicting constraints Tree-like structure Multidimensional optimization Programari -- Disseny Enginyeria del programari -- Investigació A large number of complex networks, both natural and artificial, share the presence of highly heterogeneous, scale-free degree distributions. A few mechanisms for the emergence of such patterns have been suggested, optimization not being one of them. In this letter we present the first evidence for the emergence of scaling (and the presence of small-world behavior) in software architecture graphs from a well-defined local optimization process. Although the rules that define the strategies involved in software engineering should lead to a tree-like structure, the final net is scale-free, perhaps reflecting the presence of conflicting constraints unavoidable in a multidimensional optimization process. The consequences for other complex networks are outlined. Peer Reviewed Postprint (published version) 2002-11 Article http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1209/epl/i2002-00248-2 Restricted access - publisher's policy