---
name: "Analizo::GlobalMetric::ChangeCost"
section: "3pm"
platform: "linux"
package: "analizo"
version: "1.25.5-1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/Analizo::GlobalMetric::ChangeCost"
---

# Analizo::GlobalMetric::ChangeCost(3pm)

Change Cost global metric

## NAME

Analizo::GlobalMetric::ChangeCost - Change Cost global metric

## DESCRIPTION

The metric calculation is based on the following article and calculates the degree to which a change to any file causes a (potential) change to other files in the system.

Article: Exploring the Structure of Complex Software Designs: An Empirical Study of Open Source and Proprietary Code by Alan MacCormack, John Rusnak and Carliss Baldwin.

See the paragraph about Change Cost in the article:

"... characterize the structure of a design is by measuring the degree of 'coupling' it exhibits, as captured by the degree to which a change to any single element causes a (potential) change to other elements in the system, either directly or indirectly (i.e., through a chain of dependencies that exist across elements).

... measures the percentage of elements affected, on average, when a change is made to one element in the system."