Novel Techniques For Model-Code Synchronization

The orientation of the current software development practice requires efficient model-based iterative solutions. The high costs of maintenance and evolution during the life cycle of the software can be reduced by using tool-aided iterative development. This paper presents how model-based iterative software development can be supported through efficient model-code change propagation. The presented approach facilitates bi-directional synchronization between the modified source code and the refined initial models. The backgrounds of the synchronization technique are three-way abstract syntax tree (AST) differencing and merging. The AST-based solution enables syntactically correct merge operations. OMG's Model-Driven Architecture describes a proposal for platform-specific model creation and source code generation. We extend this vision with the synchronization feature to assist the iterative development. Furthermore, a case study is also provided

A category-theoretic approach to syntactic software merging

Software merging is a common and essential activity during the lifespan of large-scale software systems. Traditional textual merge techniques are inadequate for detecting syntactic merge conflicts. In this paper, we propose a domain-independent approach for syntactic software merging that exploits the graph-based structure(s) of programs. We use morphisms between fuzzy graphs to capture the relationships between the structural elements of the programs to be merged, and apply a truth ordering lattice to express inconsistencies and evolutionary properties as we compute the merge. We demonstrate the approach with a three-way consolidation merge in a commercial software system; in particular, we show how analyzing merged call structures can help developers gain a better understanding and control of software evolution.

An algebraic framework for compositional design of autonomous and adaptive multiagent systems

Doctor of PhilosophyDepartment of Computing and Information SciencesScott A. DeLoachOrganization-based Multiagent Systems (OMAS) have been viewed as an effective paradigm for addressing the design challenges posed by today’s complex systems. In those systems, the organizational perspective is the main abstraction, which provides a clear separation between agents and systems, allowing a reduction in the complexity of the overall system. To ease the development of OMAS, several methodologies have been proposed. Unfortunately, those methodologies typically require the designer to handle system complexity alone, which tends to lead to ad-hoc designs that are not scalable and are difficult to maintain. Moreover, designing organizations for large multiagent systems is a complex and time-consuming task; design models quickly become unwieldy and thus hard to develop. To cope with theses issues, a framework for organization-based multiagent system designs based on separation of concerns and composition principles is proposed. The framework uses category theory tools to construct a formal composition framework using core models from the Organization-based Multiagent Software Engineering (O-MASE) framework. I propose a formalization of these models that are then used to establish a reusable design approach for OMAS. This approach allows designers to design large multiagent organizations by reusing smaller composable organizations that are developed separately, thus providing them with a scalable approach for designing large and complex OMAS. In this dissertation, the process of formalizing and composing multiagent organizations is discussed. In addition, I propose a service-oriented approach for building autonomous, adaptive multiagent systems. Finally, as a proof of concept, I develop two real world examples from the domain of cooperative robotics and wireless sensor networks