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Refactoring detection algorithms have been crucial to a variety of applications: (i) empirical studies about the evolution of code, tests, and faults, (ii) tools for library API migration, (iii) improving the comprehension of changes and code reviews, etc. However, recent research has questioned the accuracy of the state-of-the-art refactoring detection tools, which poses threats to the reliability of their application. Moreover, previous refactoring detection tools are very sensitive to user-provided similarity thresholds, which further reduces their practical accuracy. In addition, their requirement to build the project versions/revisions under analysis makes them inapplicable in many real-world scenarios.

To reinvigorate a previously fruitful line of research that has stifled, we designed, implemented, and evaluated RMiner, a technique that overcomes the above limitations. At the heart of RMiner is an AST-based statement matching …