A Metamodel Independent Approach to Difference Representation

By: Antonio Cicchetti, Davide Di Ruscio, Alfonso Pierantonio

Abstract

It is of critical relevance that designers are able to comprehend the various kinds of design-level modifications that a system undergoes throughout its entire lifecycle. In this respect, an interesting and useful operation between subsequent system versions is the model difference calculation and representation. In this paper, a metamodel independent approach to the representation of model differences which is agnostic of the calculation method is presented. Given two models which conform to a metamodel, their difference is conforming to another metamodel derived from the former by an automated transformation. Difference models are first-class entities which induce transformations able to apply the modifications they specify. Finally, difference models can be composed sequentially and in parallel giving place to more complex modifications.

Cite as:

Antonio Cicchetti, Davide Di Ruscio, Alfonso Pierantonio, “A Metamodel Independent Approach to Difference Representation”, Journal of Object Technology, Volume 6, no. 9 (October 2007), pp. 165-185, doi:10.5381/jot.2007.6.9.a9.