Modular synthesis of mobile device applications from domain-specific models

• Authors: Raphael Mannadiar;Hans Vangheluwe
• Venue: Proceedings of the 7th International Workshop on Model-Based Methodologies for Pervasive and Embedded Software
• Year: 2010

Domain-specific modelling enables modelling using constructs familiar to experts of a specific domain. Domain-specific models (DSms) can be automatically transformed to various lower-level artifacts such as configuration files, documentation, executable programs and performance models. Although many researchers have tackled the formalization of various aspects of model-driven development such as model versioning, debugging and transformation, very little attention has been focused on formalizing how artifacts are actually synthesized from DSms. State-of-the-art approaches rely on ad hoc coded generators which essentially use modelling tool APIs to programmatically iterate through model entities and produce the final artifacts. In this work, we propose a more structured approach to artifact generation where layered model transformations are used to modularly isolate, compile and re-combine various aspects of DSms. We demonstrate our technique by detailing the synthesis of running Google Android applications from DSms, and discuss how it may be applied in addressing the characteristic non-functional requirements (e.g. timing constraints, resource utilization) of modern embedded systems.