Reusing model transformations while preserving properties

  • Authors:
  • Ethan K. Jackson;Wolfram Schulte;Daniel Balasubramanian;Gabor Karsai

  • Affiliations:
  • Microsoft Research;Microsoft Research;Vanderbilt University;Vanderbilt University

  • Venue:
  • FASE'10 Proceedings of the 13th international conference on Fundamental Approaches to Software Engineering
  • Year:
  • 2010

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Abstract

Model transformations are indispensable to model-based development (MBD) where they act as translators between domain-specific languages (DSLs). As a result, transformations must be verified to ensure they behave as desired. Simultaneously, transformations may be reused as requirements evolve. In this paper we present novel algorithms to determine if a reused transformation preserves the same properties as the original, without expensive re-verification. We define a type of behavioral equivalence, called lifting equivalence, relating an original transformation to its reused version. A reused transformation that is equivalent to the original will preserve all compatible universally quantified properties. We describe efficient algorithms for verifying lifting equivalence, which we have implemented in our FORMULA [1, 2] framework.