Improving processing efficiency or performance, or restructuring software to…

Concept

Software maintenance is classified by the purpose that triggers a post-delivery modification. Corrective work removes faults, adaptive work responds to environmental change, and perfective work enhances useful qualities or maintainability.

Application

The stem describes improving processing efficiency or performance and restructuring software so that future changes are easier. These are enhancements to the delivered system rather than repairs of a defect or responses to a changed operating environment.

Contrast

• Corrective maintenance is driven by a discovered fault and restores specified behavior.

• Perfective maintenance is driven by enhancement goals for the delivered software.

• Adaptive maintenance is driven by a change in the software's external environment, such as a new operating system.

• Code maintenance is a broad informal label, not the specific purpose-based category described here.

Cross-check

No defect or environmental migration is mentioned; both exclusions point to an enhancement-oriented maintenance purpose.

Result

The described activity is perfective maintenance.