Deriving detailed design models from an aspect-oriented ADL using MDD

Software architects can separate crosscutting concerns more appropriately by using an aspect-oriented ADL, concretely AO-ADL. This paper illustrates how aspect-orientation and model-driven development technologies can be used to enhance the system design phase; by automatically deriving detailed designs that take into account the “aspects” identified at the architectural level. Specifically, we have defined model-to-model transformation rules to automatically generate either aspect-oriented or object-oriented UML 2.0 models, closing the gap between ADLs and the notations used at the detailed design phase. By using AO-ADL it is possible to specify separately crosscutting concerns and base functionality. Another advantage of using AO-ADL is that it allows the specification of parameterizable architectures, promoting the definition of architectural templates. AO-ADL, then, enforces the specification of crosscutting concerns as separate architectural templates, which can be later instantiated and integrated with the core functionality of the system being developed. The AO-ADL language and the transformation rules from AO-ADL to UML 2.0 are available throughout the AO-ADL Tool Suite, which can be used to progressively refine and elaborate aspect-oriented software architectures. These refined architectures are the starting point of the detailed design phase. This means that our approach provides support to automatically generate a skeleton of the detailed design that preserves the information about the crosscutting and the non-crosscutting functionalities identified and modelled at the architecture level.

► Our model-driven process transforms a software architecture into its detailed design. ► We use the aspect-oriented AO-ADL language to specify the software architecture. ► We generate the design either in plain UML 2.0 or in an AO extension of UML. ► Our process is automated using the ATLAS Transformation Language. ► Transformation rules are integrated into the AO-ADL Tool Suite.