SWE-Explore: Refining the Art of Code Exploration

Code benchmarks have evolved, yet many still view coding tasks too simplistically. They often focus on binary outcomes, like problem solved or not, overlooking the nuance in agent capabilities. SWE-Explore steps into this gap, offering a fresh benchmark that zeroes in on repository exploration. This could be a major shift for coding agents.

A New Benchmark in Town

SWE-Explore isn't just another coding benchmark. It isolates the evaluation of repository exploration, a skill set often glossed over. The specification is as follows: given a repository and an issue, the task is for an explorer to return a ranked list of relevant code regions within a certain line budget. It's a precise way to measure an agent's ability to navigate complex coding environments.

Covering 848 issues across 10 programming languages and 203 open-source repositories, SWE-Explore is comprehensive. For each issue, line-level ground truth is derived from successful agent trajectories, pinpointing exactly which code regions were key in resolving the problem. It's a meticulous approach that foregrounds the importance of thorough repository understanding.

Metrics that Matter

In evaluating exploration capabilities, SWE-Explore uses coverage, ranking, and context-efficiency metrics. These aren't just abstract numbers. they closely track downstream repair behavior, signaling how well an agent can actually fix a bug or improve code. Specialized localizers and general coding agents were put to the test. The results? Agentic explorers clearly outperform traditional retrieval methods.

While file-level localization is strong across the board, line-level coverage and efficient ranking remain the critical differentiators. This forces a reconsideration: Are we evaluating coding agents on the right parameters? SWE-Explore suggests maybe not.

Why Developers Should Care

Developers, take note: this isn't just about scores and rankings. Understanding these metrics could directly inform how you choose and develop coding agents. Backward compatibility is maintained except where noted, but the shift in focus could influence future tooling and development priorities.

Ultimately, SWE-Explore offers a more granular and realistic basis for evaluating coding agents. It highlights the intricate skills that make coding agents truly effective in real-world scenarios. So, will the industry shift its focus to these finer details?, but the groundwork has certainly been laid.