Model transformations in Converge

Abstract

Model transformations are currently the focus of much interest and research due to the OMG’s QVT initiative. Current proposals for model transformation languages can be divided into two main camps: those taking a ‘declarative’ approach, and those opting for an ‘imperative’ approach. In this paper we detail an imperative, meta-circular, object orientated, pattern matching programming language Converge which is enriched with features pioneered by the Icon programming language, amongst them: success/failure, generators and goal-directed evaluation. By presenting these features in a language suitable for representing models, we show that we are able to gain some of the advantages of declarative approaches in an imperative setting