Projectdetails

The promise of model-driven engineering (MDE) is that the development and maintenance effort can be reduced by working at the model instead of the code level. Models define what is variable in a system, and code generators produce the functionality that is common in the application domain.

The problem with model-driven engineering is that it can lead to a lock-in in the abstractions and generator technology adopted at project initiation. Software systems need to evolve, and systems built using model-driven approaches are no exception. What complicates model-driven engineering is that it requires multiple dimensions of evolution. In regular evolution, the modeling language is used to make the changes. In meta-model evolution, changes are required to the modeling notation. In platform evolution, the code generators and application framework change to reflect new requirements on the target platform. Finally, in abstraction evolution, new modeling languages are added to the set of (modeling) languages to reflect increased understanding of a technical or business domain. While MDE has been optimized for regular evolution, presently little or no support exists for metamodel, platform and abstraction evolution. It is this gap that this project proposes to address.

The first fundamental premise of this proposal is that evolution should be a continuous process. Software development is a continuous search for recurring patterns, which can be captured using domain-specific modeling languages. After developing a number of systems using a particular meta-model, new patterns may be recognized that can be captured in a higher-level or richter meta-model. The second premise is that reengineering of legacy systems to the model-driven paradigm should be a special case of this continuous evolution, and should be performed incrementally.

The goal of this project is to develop a systematic approach to model-driven software evolution. This approach includes methods,

techniques, and underlying tool support. We will develop a prototype programming environment that assists software engineers with the introduction, development, and maintenance of models and domain-specific languages.

Artikelen

• J. Warmer, Dr E Visser, A. van Deursen (2007). Model-Driven Software Evolution. A Research Agenda. CSMR Workshop on Model-Driven Software Evolution (MoDSE'07). pp. 
• K. T. Kalleberg, Dr. E. Visser (2007). Fusing a Transformation Language with an Open Compiler. Electronic Notes in Theoretical Computer Science. pp. 
• K. T. Kalleberg, Dr. E. Visser (2007). Spoofax: An Interactive Development Environment for Program Transformation with Stratego/XT. Electronic Notes in Theoretical Computer Science. pp. 
• M. Bravenboer, Dr. E. Visser (2007). Designing Syntax Embeddings and Assimilations for Language Libraries.. 4th International Workshop on Software Language Engineering (ATEM'07). pp. 
• Drs. Z. Hemel, Dhr. L.C.L. Kats MSc, Dr. E. Visser (2008). Code Generation by Model Transformation. A Case Study in Transformation Modularity. Lecture notes in computer science. pp. 183-198. ISSN 0302-9743.
• R. Verhaaf, Drs. Z. Hemel, Dr. E. Visser (2008). WebWorkFlow: An Object-Oriented Workflow Modeling Language for Web Applications. Lecture Notes in Computer Science. pp. 113-127. ISSN 0302-9743.
• ir. G. de Geest, Prof. dr. A. van Deursen, Dhr. S. Vermolen MSc, Dr. E. Visser (2008). Generating Version Convertors for Domain-Specific Languages. Proceedings of the 2008 15th Working Conference on Reverse Engineering. pp. 197-201. ISSN 1095-1350/03.
• D.M. Groenewegen, Drs. Z. Hemel, Dhr. L.C.L. Kats MSc, Dr. E. Visser (2008). When Frameworks Let You Down. Platform-Imposed Constraints on the Design and Evolution of Domain-Specific Languages. Proceedings of the 8th OOPSLA Workshop on Domain Specific Modelling (DSM'08). pp. 64-66
• Dhr. S. Vermolen MSc, Dr. E. Visser (2008). Heterogeneous Coupled Evolution of Software Languages. Lecture Notes in Computer Science. pp. 630-644. ISSN 978-3-540-87874.
• Dhr. S. Vermolen MSc (2008). Software Language Evolution. Proceedings 15th Working Conference on Reverse Engineering (WCRE 2008). pp. 323-326
• Dr. M. Bravenboer, Dhr. L.C.L. Kats MSc, Dr. E. Visser (2008). Mixing Source and Bytecode. A Case for Compilation by Normalization. Proceedings of the 23rd ACM SIGPLAN Conference on Object-Oriented Programing, Systems, Languages, and Applications (OOPSLA 2008). pp. 91-108
• ir D.M. Groenewegen, Dr. E. Visser (2008). Declarative Access Control for WebDSL: Combining Language Integration and Separation of Concerns. Eighth International Conference on Web Engineering (ICWE 2008). pp. 175-188
• Dr. E. Visser (2008). WebDSL: A Case Study in Domain-Specific Language Engineering. Lecture Notes in Computer Science. pp. 291-373
• ir M. Groenewegen, Drs. Z. Hemel, Dhr. L.C.L. Kats MSc, Dr. E. Visser (2008). WebDSL:A Domain-Specific Language for Dynamic Web Applications. 23rd ACM SIGPLAN Conference on Object-Oriented Programing, Systems, Languages, and Applications (OOPSLA 2008). pp. 779-780
• Dr. M. Bravenboer, Dr. E. Visser (2008). Designing Syntax Embeddings and Assimilations for Language Libraries. Lecture Notes in Computer Science. pp. 34-46. ISSN 0302-9743.
• E. Visser, A.M. Sloane, Dhr. L.C.L. Kats MSc (2009). Decorated Attribute Grammars: Attribute Evaluation Meets Strategic Programming. Lecture Notes in Computer Science. pp. 142-157. ISSN 0302-9743.
• E. Visser, Dr. M. Bravenboer (2009). Parse Table Composition. Lecture Notes in Computer Science. pp. 74-94. ISSN 0302-9743.
• E. Nilsson-Nyman, E. Visser, M. de Jonge, Dhr. L.C.L. Kats MSc (2009). Providing rapid feedback in generated modular language environments. adding error recovery to scannerless generalized-LR parsing. ACM SIGPLAN Notices. pp. 445-464. ISSN 0362-1340.
• E. Visser, D.M. Groenewegen, Drs. Z. Hemel, Dhr. L.C.L. Kats MSc (2009). Code generation by model transformation. a case study in transformation modularity. Software and Systems Modeling. pp. 1-28. ISSN 1619-1366.
• E. Visser, Dr. M. Bravenboer, Dr. E. Dolstra (2009). Preventing injection attacks with syntax embeddings. Science of Computer Programming. pp.  . ISSN 0167-6423.
• E. Visser, D.M. Groenewegen (2009). Weaving web applications with WebDSL. (demonstration). ACM SIGPLAN conference companion. pp. 797-798