Attribute-Based Evolution Patterns for Product Lines

Authors: Davor Svetinovic Michael W. Godfrey

Venue: WICSA-01 Workshop on Architecture Reconstruction and Product Lines, 2001

Year: 2001

Abstract: This paper presents a new systematic approach for the study of soft-ware evolution. The approach is based on the use of functional and quality attributes to recover, document, and apply knowledge about how and why software systems evolve. In the first part of paper, we discuss how the study of software evolution in terms of attributes makes it possible to draw parallels between software evolution and other types of evolution, such as natural evolution. This allows us to analyze their similarities and to map some of the results and methodologies from these other fields to software evolution. In the second part of paper, we discuss how the use of attributes can make knowledge about how a system has evolved more eas-ily applicable to other attribute-based techniques of software engi-neering, including goal-driven requirements engineering processes [1, 19], Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method (ATAM) [11], and Attribute-Based Architectural Styles [13]. In particular, we em-phasize attribute-based evolution patterns as a practical form of preserving and applying knowledge about how a software system evolves, and we describe their use in product line design and fore-casting. Finally, we present an abbreviated example history of the Linux SCSI device driver subsystem.

BibTeX:

@inproceedings{davorsvetinovic2001aepfpl,
    author = "Davor Svetinovic and Michael W. Godfrey",
    title = "Attribute-Based Evolution Patterns for Product Lines",
    year = "2001",
    booktitle = "Proc. of the WICSA-01 Workshop on Architecture Reconstruction and Product Lines"
}

Plain Text:

Davor Svetinovic and Michael W. Godfrey, "Attribute-Based Evolution Patterns for Product Lines," WICSA-01 Workshop on Architecture Reconstruction and Product Lines