COCOMO Model – Interactive Simulation
Learn how software teams estimate effort, time and people for a project using COCOMO.
Effort = a × Sizeᵇ
Size = KLOC (1000 lines of code)
Play with sliders and buttons
Step‑by‑Step Simulation
Follow each step, change values, and watch the calculations update instantly.
1
Size of Project
2
Project Type
3
Calculate Effort
4
Time & Team
Example: 10 KLOC ≈ 10,000 lines of code for a small app.
Think: Bigger project ⇒ more lines of code ⇒ more time, people and money needed.
Each type has different constants a
and b in the formula Effort = a × Sizeᵇ.
| Type | Feels like | a | b |
|---|---|---|---|
| Organic | Small, simple app | 2.4 | 1.05 |
| Semi‑detached | Medium project | 3.0 | 1.12 |
| Embedded | Very complex system | 3.6 | 1.20 |
COCOMO basic formula:
Effort (person‑months) = a × (Size in KLOC)b
Current constants for your selection:
a = 2.4
b = 1.05
Size
10
KLOC
Effort
–
person‑months
Project Type
Organic
simple / medium / complex
Once effort is known, we can guess duration and average team size.
Effort
–
person‑months
Planned Duration
–
months
Team Size
–
people (approx.)
Example: Effort 20 person‑months and duration 10 months ⇒ about 2 people needed (20 ÷ 10).