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A Hitchhiker's Guide to Search-Based Software Engineering for Software Product Lines

Search Based Software Engineering (SBSE) is an emerging discipline that focuses on the application of search-based optimization techniques to software engineering problems. The capacity of SBSE techniques to tackle problems involving large search spaces make their application attractive for Software Product Lines (SPLs). In recent years, several publications have appeared that apply SBSE techniques to SPL problems. In this paper, we present the results of a systematic mapping study of such publications. We identified the stages of the SPL life cycle where SBSE techniques have been used, what case studies have been employed and how they have been analysed. This mapping study revealed potential venues for further research as well as common misunderstanding and pitfalls when applying SBSE techniques that we address by providing a guideline for researchers and practitioners interested in exploiting these techniques.