Model-driven engineering (MDE) is a software development methodology that focuses on creating and exploiting domain models, which are conceptual models of all the topics related to a specific problem. Hence, it highlights and aims at abstract representations of the

knowledge Knowledge can be defined as awareness of facts or as practical skills, and may also refer to familiarity with objects or situations. Knowledge of facts, also called propositional knowledge, is often defined as true belief that is disti ...

and activities that govern a particular application domain, rather than the computing (i.e. algorithmic) concepts.

Overview

The MDE approach is meant to increase productivity by maximizing compatibility between systems (via reuse of standardized models), simplifying the process of design (via models of recurring design patterns in the application domain), and promoting communication between individuals and teams working on the system (via a standardization of the terminology and the best practices used in the application domain). For instance, in model-driven development, technical artifacts such as source code, documentation, tests, and more are generated algorithmically from a domain model. A modeling paradigm for MDE is considered effective if its models make sense from the point of view of a user that is familiar with the domain, and if they can serve as a basis for implementing systems. The models are developed through extensive communication among product managers, designers, developers and users of the application domain. As the models approach completion, they enable the development of software and systems. Some of the better known MDE initiatives are: * The Object Management Group (OMG) initiative Model-Driven Architecture (MDA) which is leveraged by several of their standards such as Meta-Object Facility, XMI, CWM, CORBA, Unified Modeling Language (to be more precise, the OMG currently promotes the use of a subset of UML called fUML together with its action language, ALF, for model-driven architecture; a former approach relied on Executable UML and OCL, instead), and QVT. * The Eclipse "eco-system" of programming and modelling tools represented in general terms by the ( Eclipse Modeling Framework). This framework allows the creation of tools implementing the MDA standards of the OMG; but, it is also possible to use it to implement other modeling-related tools.

History

The first tools to support MDE were the Computer-Aided Software Engineering (

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) tools developed in the 1980s. Companies like Integrated Development Environments (IDE - StP), Higher Order Software (now Hamilton Technologies, Inc., HTI), Cadre Technologies,

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, and Logic Works (BP-Win and ER-Win) were pioneers in the field. The US government got involved in the modeling definitions creating the IDEF specifications. With several variations of the modeling definitions (see Booch, Rumbaugh,

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, Gane and Sarson,

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, Shlaer and Mellor, and others) they were eventually joined creating the Unified Modeling Language (UML). Rational Rose, a product for UML implementation, was done by Rational Corporation (Booch) responding automation yield higher levels of abstraction in software development. This abstraction promotes simpler models with a greater focus on problem space. Combined with executable semantics this elevates the total level of automation possible. The Object Management Group (OMG) has developed a set of standards called model-driven architecture (MDA), building a foundation for this advanced architecture-focused approach. According to Douglas C. Schmidt, model-driven engineering technologies offer a promising approach to address the inability of third-generation languages to alleviate the complexity of platforms and express domain concepts effectively., ''"A promising approach to address platform complexity—and the inability of third-generation languages to alleviate this complexity and express domain concepts effectively—is to develop Model-Driven Engineering (MDE) technologies..."''

Tools

Notable software tools for model-driven engineering include: * AADL from Carnegie-Mellon Software Engineering Institute * Acceleo an open source code generator from Obeo * Actifsource * AgileUML an open source MDE toolset from AgileMDE Ltd * ATLAS Transformation Language or ATL, a model transformation language from Obeo * DUALLy, an MDE framework to create interoperability * Eclipse Modeling Framework (EMF) * Enterprise Architect from Sparx Systems * Generic Eclipse Modeling System (GEMS) * GeneXus a

Knowledge Knowledge can be defined as awareness of facts or as practical skills, and may also refer to familiarity with objects or situations. Knowledge of facts, also called propositional knowledge, is often defined as true belief that is disti ...

-based, declarative, multi-platform, multi-language development solution * Graphical Modeling Framework (GMF) * JetBrains MPS, a metaprogramming system from JetBrains * MagicDraw from No Magic Inc *

MERODE Merode may refer to: People * House of Merode, a princely dynasty belonging to the Belgian nobility ** Jean Philippe Eugène de Mérode (1674–1732), Imperial Field Marshal ** Félix de Mérode (1791–1857), Belgian politician ** Xavier de Mé ...

JMermaid from KU Leuven (educational) *

MetaEdit+ MetaEdit+ is an environment for creating and using Domain-Specific Modeling languages. Research History The research behind the genesis of MetaEdit+ was carried out at the University of Jyväskylä, as part of the MetaPHOR project. A metamodeli ...

from MetaCase * ModelCenter from Phoenix Integration *

Open ModelSphere Open ModelSphere is a data, process and UML modeling tool written in Java and distributed as free software under the GPL License. It provides support for forward and reverse engineering between UML and relational schemas. History Open ModelSphere ...

* OptimalJ from Compuware * PREEvision from Vector Informatik * Rhapsody from IBM * RISE Editor from RISE to Bloome Software * PowerDesigner from SAP * Simulink from MathWorks *

Software Ideas Modeler Software Ideas Modeler is a CASE and an UML tool. The modeler supports all 14 diagram types specified in UML 2.5. It also supports among others the following diagrams and standards: * ER diagrams * BPMN 2.0 * CMMN * SysML 1.5 * ArchiMate 3 * ...

from Dusan Rodina * Sirius an Eclipse Open Source project to create custom graphical modeling workbenches * Together Architect from Borland * Umple from the University of Ottawa * Uniface from Compuware * YAKINDU Statechart Tools open source tool build on top of Eclipse

References

External links

''Model-Driven Architecture: Vision, Standards And Emerging Technologies''
at omg.org Systems engineering Unified Modeling Language

Overview

History

Tools

See also

References

Further reading

External links