abstract = "Context Search-Based Software Engineering (SBSE) is an
emerging discipline that focuses on the application of
search-based optimization techniques to software
engineering problems. Software Product Lines (SPLs) are
families of related software systems whose members are
distinguished by the set of features each one provides.
SPL development practices have proven benefits such as
improved software reuse, better customization, and
faster time to market. A typical SPL usually involves a
large number of systems and features, a fact that makes
them attractive for the application of SBSE techniques
which are able to tackle problems that involve large
search spaces. Objective The main objective of our work
is to identify the quantity and the type of research on
the application of SBSE techniques to SPL problems.
More concretely, the SBSE techniques that have been
used and at what stage of the SPL life cycle, the type
of case studies employed and their empirical analysis,
and the fora where the research has been published.
Method systematic mapping study was conducted with five
research questions and assessed 77 publications from
2001, when the term SBSE was coined, until
2014.
Results
The most common application of SBSE techniques found
was testing followed by product configuration, with
genetic algorithms and multi-objective evolutionary
algorithms being the two most commonly used techniques.
Our study identified the need to improve the robustness
of the empirical evaluation of existing research, a
lack of extensive and robust tool support, and multiple
avenues worthy of further
investigation.
Conclusions
Our study attested the great synergy existing between
both fields, corroborated the increasing and ongoing
interest in research on the subject, and revealed
challenging open research questions.",