Using server pages to unify clones in web applications: A trade-off analysis

Server page technique is commonly used for implementing web application user interfaces. Server pages can represent many similar web pages in a generic form. Yet our previous study revealed high rates of repetitions in web applications, particularly in the user interfaces. Code duplication, commonly known as 'cloning', signals untapped opportunities to achieve simpler, smaller, more generic, and more maintainable web applications. Using PHP Server page technique, we conducted a case study to explore how far Server page technique can be pushed to achieve clone-free web applications. Our study suggests that clone unification using Server pages affects system qualities (e.g., runtime performance) to an extent that may not be acceptable in many project situations. Our paper discusses the trade-offs we observed when applying Server pages to unify clones in web applications. We expect our findings to help in developing and validating complementary techniques that can unify clones without incurring such trade-offs.