DSLs in Action with Model Based Approaches to Information System Development

Abstract

In this chapter, the authors give an overview of the evolution of Information System (IS) development methods used in the last few decades and show how model driven approaches and Domain Specific Languages (DSLs) have managed to take an often essential role in the modern IS development process. To present an overall picture, the authors discuss significant breakthroughs, popular approaches, their strong and weak points, along with the examples of their practical use in the domain of IS development and generation of software applications. In order to further support the aforementioned points, the chapter offers a synopsis of Integrated Information Systems CASE Tool (IIS*Case), a model driven software development tool for IS modeling and prototype generation. A special attention is drawn to its evolution and position relative to some of the key changes in IS development approaches in recent history. The authors highlight the significance of DSLs in this context and present a DSL featured in the tool. The DSL was created to provide platform independent model (PIM) IS specifications which can be transformed into executable application prototypes through a chain of model-to-model and model-to-code transformations. Since the authors have developed both a textual DSL, and visual repository-based tools (visual DSLs) for this purpose, a discussion of pros and contras of textual vs. visual DSLs in the context of creating PIM specifications is also included. Furthermore, the chapter communicates practical experiences about creating meta-meta models of PIM concepts by means of attribute grammars and MOF meta-modeling language.