Guideline for the definition of EMF metamodels using an Entity-Relationship approach

Metamodels are a formalism for defining the abstract syntax of modeling languages. However, designing a suitable metamodel from the features intended for the language is not a trivial task. This paper presents a guideline for defining such metamodels using an Entity-Relationship approach in the Eclipse Modeling Framework. This guideline proposes to begin by determining the structural features of the language, such as types of relationships and elements with attributes. Subsequently, it offers alternative representations for these features aimed at satisfying different requirements, such as changeability or optimized model processing. Two case studies illustrate the use of the guideline and its trade-offs.