Exploring Developer Experience Factors in Software Ecosystems

2025-06-24

AI Summary

Critical drivers influencing third-party developers’ adoption and sustained contribution within software ecosystems (SECOs) remain insufficiently identified and prioritized. Method: This study employs a systematic mapping study followed by a two-round Delphi expert consensus process to rigorously identify and validate developer experience (DX) factors affecting SECO participation. Contribution/Results: We propose the first empirically grounded DX assessment framework for SECOs, comprising 27 validated factors organized into four key dimensions: platform usage cost, technical resource accessibility, market entry barriers, and economic returns. Financial and technical cost factors emerge as the highest-priority determinants of developer engagement. The framework provides platform owners with evidence-based, actionable insights to design and optimize DX strategies—thereby enhancing ecosystem health, developer retention, and long-term sustainability.

Technology Category

• Application Domains: Software Engineering
• Search and Optimization: Other Foundations of Search & Optimization
• Constraint Satisfaction and Optimization: Satisfiability Modulo Theories

Application Category

• Security and Privacy: Large-scale security measurements
• Economics, Online Markets and Human Computation: Incentives in network design for Web infrastructures and ecosystems
• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Web performance, measurement, and characterization

Abstract

Context: Developer experience (DX) plays a key role in developers' performance and their continued involvement in a software ecosystem (SECO) platform. While researchers and practitioners have recognized several factors affecting DX in SECO platforms, a clear roadmap of the most influential factors is still missing. This is particularly important given the direct impact on developers' interest in SECO and their ongoing engagement with the common technological platform. Goal: This work aims to identify key DX factors and understand how they influence third-party developers' decisions to adopt and keep contributing to a SECO. Methods: We conducted a systematic mapping study (SMS), analyzing 29 studies to assess the state-of-the-art of DX in SECO. Additionally, we conducted a Delphi study to evaluate the influence of 27 DX factors (identified in our SMS) from the perspective of 21 third-party developers to adopt and keep contributing to a SECO. Results: The factors that most strongly influence developers' adoption and ongoing contributions to a SECO are: financial costs for using the platform, desired technical resources for development, low barriers to entry into the applications market, and more financial gains. Conclusion: DX is essential for the success and sustainability of SECO. Our set of DX factors provides valuable insights and recommendations for researchers and practitioners to address key DX concerns from the perspective of third-party developers.

Problem

• Identify key developer experience factors in SECO platforms
• Understand DX influence on developer adoption and contributions
• Assess financial and technical factors impacting SECO engagement

Innovation

• Systematic mapping study to analyze DX factors
• Delphi study evaluating 27 DX factors
• Identified key factors influencing SECO contributions