A Family-Based Framework for i-DSML Adaptation

Abstract

Abstract. One of the main goals of Model-Driven Engineering (MDE) is the manipulation of models as software artifacts. Model execution is in particular a means to substitute models for code. Precisely, if models of a dedicated Domain-Specific Modeling Language (DSML) are interpreted through an execution engine, then this DSML is called interpreted-DSML (i-DSML for short). The possibility of extending i-DSML to adapt models directly during their execution, allows the building of adaptable i-DSML. In this article, we demonstrate that specializing adaptable i-DSML leads to the potential definition of accurate adaptation policies. Domain-specificities are the key factors to identify adaptations that really make sense. In effect, we introduce the concept of family as a mean to encapsulate adaptation operations that are attached to a particular domain. Families can be specialized with the special purpose of defining a hierarchy of adaptation contexts.