PI-MT: método para a criação de transformações de modelos no contexto da MDA

Abstract

This thesis deals with the platform-independence matter in the Model Driven Architecture (MDA) context. MDA is an approach to software development based on the design and transformation of models. In the MDA approach models are the core artifacts throughout the entire software development lifecycle, and thus a key role is played by model transformations. Nevertheless, most MDA initiatives are dedicated, i.e., the platform features are implicitly employed in the transformation rules. As the aspects associated with the platform are not separated from the transformation rules, for each selected platform there must be a corresponding model transformation. On the one hand, this makes the model transformation development easier. On the other hand, model transformation becomes limited to a specific platform, once the platform features are strongly associated with the transformation rules. An open challenge consists of how to create transformation rules independently of the deployment platform features of software systems. This thesis proposes a method for creating model transformations, called PI-MT (Platform Independent - Model Transformations). The PI-MT is particularly applied to embedded software development based on Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS). In addition, it allows the adaptation of the model transformation process to different RTOS-based platforms by means of Platform Models explicitly defined. As a result, the PI-MT method provides independence between the model transformation rules and the platform features.