On reducing the energy consumption of software: From hurdles to requirements

Abstract

Background. As software took control over hardware in many domains, the question of the energy footprint induced by the software is becoming critical for our society, as the resources powering the underlying infrastructure are finite. Yet, beyond this growing interest, energy consumption remains a difficult concept to master for a developer. Aims. The purpose of this study is to better understand the root causes that prevent the issue of software energy consumption to be more widely considered by developers and companies. Method. To investigate this issue, this paper reports on a qualitative study we conducted in an industrial context. We applied an in-depth analysis of the interviews of 10 experienced developers and summarized a set of implications. Results.We argue that our study delivers i) insightful feedback on how green software design is considered among the interviewed developers and ii) a set of findings to build helpful tools, motivate further research, and establish better development strategies to promote green software design. Conclusion. This paper covers an industrial case study of developers' awareness of green software design and howto promote it within the company. While it might not be generalizable for any company, we believe our results deliver a common body of knowledge with implications to be considered for similar cases and further researches.