Version control mechanisms augmented with semantic analysis for determining cause of software defects

A system, comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor performs operations, the operations comprising:
• generating a plurality of metadata corresponding to a plurality of code versions of an application stored in a version control system;
• determining a set of changes between a first metadata of a first code version and a second metadata of a second code version;
• classifying elements in the set of changes into a first category comprising any change in code logic and a second category comprising a change in comments, based on a set of predetermined rules, wherein occurrence of a change in method order and a mismatch in declaration of methods is classified into the first category, and wherein occurrence of a change in method order but a match in declaration of methods is classified into the second category;
• and
• using the elements classified in the first category to determine a cause of a defect in the application.

A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code configured to perform operations, the operations comprising:

• generating a plurality of metadata corresponding to a plurality of code versions of an application stored in a version control system;
• determining a set of changes between a first metadata of a first code version and a second metadata of a second code version;
• classifying elements in the set of changes into a first category comprising any change in code logic and a second category comprising a change in comments, based on a set of predetermined rules, wherein occurrence of a change in method order and a mismatch in declaration of methods is classified into the first category, and wherein occurrence of a change in method order but a match in declaration of methods is classified into the second category;
• and
• using the elements classified in the first category to determine a cause of a defect in the application.