research-article

Is there a mismatch between real-world feature models and product-line research?

Authors:

Alexander Knüppel,

Stephan Mennicke,

Ina SchaeferAuthors Info & Claims

ESEC/FSE 2017: Proceedings of the 2017 11th Joint Meeting on Foundations of Software Engineering

Pages 291 - 302

https://doi.org/10.1145/3106237.3106252

Published: 21 August 2017 Publication History

Abstract

Feature modeling has emerged as the de-facto standard to compactly capture the variability of a software product line. Multiple feature modeling languages have been proposed that evolved over the last decades to manage industrial-size product lines. However, less expressive languages, solely permitting require and exclude constraints, are permanently and carelessly used in product-line research. We address the problem whether those less expressive languages are sufficient for industrial product lines. We developed an algorithm to eliminate complex cross-tree constraints in a feature model, enabling the combination of tools and algorithms working with different feature model dialects in a plug-and-play manner. However, the scope of our algorithm is limited. Our evaluation on large feature models, including the Linux kernel, gives evidence that require and exclude constraints are not sufficient to express real-world feature models. Hence, we promote that research on feature models needs to consider arbitrary propositional formulas as cross-tree constraints prospectively.

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Cited By

Sundermann CLoth JThüm TFilkov VRay BZhou M(2024)Efficient Slicing of Feature Models via Projected d-DNNF CompilationProceedings of the 39th IEEE/ACM International Conference on Automated Software Engineering10.1145/3691620.3695594(1332-1344)Online publication date: 27-Oct-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3691620.3695594
Bittner PSchultheiß AMoosherr BYoung JTeixeira LWalkingshaw EAtaei PThüm T(2024)On the Expressive Power of Languages for Static VariabilityProceedings of the ACM on Programming Languages10.1145/36897478:OOPSLA2(1018-1050)Online publication date: 8-Oct-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3689747
Luo CLyu SZhao QWu WZhang HHu CChristakis MPradel M(2024)Beyond Pairwise Testing: Advancing 3-wise Combinatorial Interaction Testing for Highly Configurable SystemsProceedings of the 33rd ACM SIGSOFT International Symposium on Software Testing and Analysis10.1145/3650212.3680309(641-653)Online publication date: 11-Sep-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3650212.3680309
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Index Terms

Is there a mismatch between real-world feature models and product-line research?
1. Software and its engineering
  1. Software creation and management
    1. Software development techniques
      1. Reusability
        Software product lines
  2. Software organization and properties
    1. Software system structures
      1. Software system models
        Feature interaction

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Published In

cover image ACM Conferences

ESEC/FSE 2017: Proceedings of the 2017 11th Joint Meeting on Foundations of Software Engineering

August 2017

1073 pages

ISBN:9781450351058

DOI:10.1145/3106237

General Chairs:
Eric Bodden
Paderborn University, Germany / Fraunhofer IEM, Germany
,
Wilhelm Schäfer
Paderborn University, Germany
,
Program Chairs:
Arie van Deursen
Delft University of Technology, Netherlands
,
Andrea Zisman
Open University, UK

Copyright © 2017 ACM.

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Published: 21 August 2017

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ESEC/FSE'17: Joint Meeting of the European Software Engineering Conference and the ACM SIGSOFT Symposium on the Foundations of Software Engineering

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Cited By

Sundermann CLoth JThüm TFilkov VRay BZhou M(2024)Efficient Slicing of Feature Models via Projected d-DNNF CompilationProceedings of the 39th IEEE/ACM International Conference on Automated Software Engineering10.1145/3691620.3695594(1332-1344)Online publication date: 27-Oct-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3691620.3695594
Bittner PSchultheiß AMoosherr BYoung JTeixeira LWalkingshaw EAtaei PThüm T(2024)On the Expressive Power of Languages for Static VariabilityProceedings of the ACM on Programming Languages10.1145/36897478:OOPSLA2(1018-1050)Online publication date: 8-Oct-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3689747
Luo CLyu SZhao QWu WZhang HHu CChristakis MPradel M(2024)Beyond Pairwise Testing: Advancing 3-wise Combinatorial Interaction Testing for Highly Configurable SystemsProceedings of the 33rd ACM SIGSOFT International Symposium on Software Testing and Analysis10.1145/3650212.3680309(641-653)Online publication date: 11-Sep-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3650212.3680309
Sundermann CHeß TSundermann RKuiter EKrieter SThüm T(2024)Generating Feature Models with UVL's Full ExpressivenessProceedings of the 28th ACM International Systems and Software Product Line Conference10.1145/3646548.3676602(61-65)Online publication date: 2-Sep-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3646548.3676602
Dubslaff CHusung NKäfer N(2024)Configuring BDD Compilation Techniques for Feature ModelsProceedings of the 28th ACM International Systems and Software Product Line Conference10.1145/3646548.3676538(209-216)Online publication date: 2-Sep-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3646548.3676538
Heß TSemmler SSundermann CTorán JThüm T(2024)Towards Deterministic Compilation of Binary Decision Diagrams From Feature ModelsProceedings of the 28th ACM International Systems and Software Product Line Conference10.1145/3646548.3672598(136-147)Online publication date: 2-Sep-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3646548.3672598
Bombarda AGargantini A(2024)On the Use of Multi-valued Decision Diagrams to Count Valid Configurations of Feature ModelsProceedings of the 28th ACM International Systems and Software Product Line Conference10.1145/3646548.3672594(96-106)Online publication date: 2-Sep-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3646548.3672594
Zeyen OCordy MPerrouin GAcher MFuria CLopes APlat NGnesi S(2024)Preprocessing is What You Need: Understanding and Predicting the Complexity of SAT-based Uniform Random SamplingProceedings of the 2024 IEEE/ACM 12th International Conference on Formal Methods in Software Engineering (FormaliSE)10.1145/3644033.3644371(23-32)Online publication date: 14-Apr-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3644033.3644371
Restrepo CRobin JMazo REgyed AWimmer MChechik MCombemale B(2024)Extensions and Scalability Experiments of a Generic Model-Driven Architecture for Variability Model ReasoningProceedings of the ACM/IEEE 27th International Conference on Model Driven Engineering Languages and Systems10.1145/3640310.3674090(126-137)Online publication date: 22-Sep-2024
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Yaman KWittler JGerking C(2024)Kfeature: Rendering the Kconfig System into Feature ModelsProceedings of the 18th International Working Conference on Variability Modelling of Software-Intensive Systems10.1145/3634713.3634731(134-138)Online publication date: 7-Feb-2024
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