This document discusses using composite feature models to support agile software product line evolution. It proposes separating a software product line into multiple feature models, one for each domain concept, and using a model to define relationships between the concepts and feature models. This approach aims to make the feature models easier to evolve independently while still representing dependencies. Refactoring scripts could then support automated evolution driven by a community in an agile manner. Validation on other use cases and automation of vocabulary alignment are mentioned as future work.

1. Using Composite Feature
Models to Support Agile
Software Product Line Evolution
Simon Urli, Mireille Blay-Fornarino,
Philippe Collet, Sébastien Mosser
urli@i3s.unice.fr
I3S Laboratory, Université de Nice-Sophia Antipolis
Models and Evolution 2012 1

2. Plan
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3. Plan
• Usecase: ease the creation of customized
information broadcasting system
Models and Evolution 2012 2

4. Plan
• Usecase: ease the creation of customized
information broadcasting system
• Why a SPL is adapted to our usecase?
Models and Evolution 2012 2

5. Plan
• Usecase: ease the creation of customized
information broadcasting system
• Why a SPL is adapted to our usecase?
• Why is it difficult to evolve this SPL?
Models and Evolution 2012 2

6. Plan
• Usecase: ease the creation of customized
information broadcasting system
• Why a SPL is adapted to our usecase?
• Why is it difficult to evolve this SPL?
• How a composition of feature models can help
us?
Models and Evolution 2012 2

7. Plan
• Usecase: ease the creation of customized
information broadcasting system
• Why a SPL is adapted to our usecase?
• Why is it difficult to evolve this SPL?
• How a composition of feature models can help
us?
• How to manage the evolution of the different
feature models independently?
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8. YourCast: to ease the creation of
information broadcasting systems
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9. YourCast: to ease the creation of
information broadcasting systems
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10. ... and the customization for different users.
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11. ... and the customization for different users.
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12. YourCast: some concepts
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13. YourCast: some concepts
Sources
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14. YourCast: some concepts
Sources
Layout
Models and Evolution 2012 6

15. YourCast: some concepts
Sources
Renderers
Layout
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16. Requirements
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17. Requirements
• One must be able to choose among all the
avalaible elements: need of Variability
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18. Requirements
• One must be able to choose among all the
avalaible elements: need of Variability
• A community must be able to contribute to
the system: need of Evolutivity
Models and Evolution 2012 7

19. Requirements
• One must be able to choose among all the
avalaible elements: need of Variability
• A community must be able to contribute to
the system: need of Evolutivity
• One must be able to configure a valid
system at any time: need of Agility
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20. Software Product Line
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21. Software Product Line
• Mass production of reliables and
personalized softwares
Models and Evolution 2012 8

22. Software Product Line
• Mass production of reliables and
personalized softwares
• Generation of softwares from
configurations and assets
Models and Evolution 2012 8

23. Software Product Line
• Mass production of reliables and
personalized softwares
• Generation of softwares from
configurations and assets
• Configurations created by end-users from
variability models
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24. Feature Model
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25. Feature Model
Key
Source Mandatory
feature
Optional
feature
InfoKind Criteria XOR
OR
Implies
PictureAlbum Announces Sort Filter Excludes
Picasa FlickR Announcement
Models and Evolution 2012 9

26. A first kernel...
Key
BroadcastingSystem
Mandatory
feature
Optional
feature
Layout Source Renderer XOR
OR
Implies
Classic InfoKind SupportInfo Excludes
Announces Announces
Announcement SimpleAnnounces
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27. ... which becomes difficult to evolve
BroadcastingSystem
AboutKey domain objects for now.
80
Mandatory
feature
About 280Optional features if we
000
feature
Layout Source Renderer
represent them in one FM
XOR
OR
Implies
Excludes
Classic IRSAM InfoKind SupportInfo
Calendar PictureAlbum Announces Announces PictureAlbum Calendar
HyperCal
AlbumMosaic CalendarByDay
FlickR Menu AgendaSession
Picasa
Announcement CalendarByMonth
SimpleAnnounces AlbumSlide
ICalReader
SimpleMenu
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28. Idea: composite feature models
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29. Idea: composite feature models
• Use a composition of feature models to
keep things separated
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30. Idea: composite feature models
• Use a composition of feature models to
keep things separated
• Manage the evolution of each domain
objects separately
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31. Idea: composite feature models
• Use a composition of feature models to
keep things separated
• Manage the evolution of each domain
objects separately
• Manage the evolution of dependencies in
abstracting them
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32. Keep things separated
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33. Keep things separated
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34. What about the dependencies?
BroadcastingSystem Key
Mandatory
feature
Optional
feature
Layout Source Renderer XOR
OR
Implies
Excludes
Classic IRSAM InfoKind SupportInfo
Calendar PictureAlbum Announces Announces PictureAlbum Calendar
HyperCal
AlbumMosaic CalendarByDay
FlickR Menu AgendaSession
Picasa
Announcement CalendarByMonth
SimpleAnnounces AlbumSlide
ICalReader
SimpleMenu
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35. Use models to drive composite FMs
1
RestrictionFunction FMAssociation FMAssociationEnd
0..*
1
Metamodel
1
FeatureModel DomainElement MultiplicityElement
1
BroadcastingSystem
Model
1..*
1..1 1..*
1..1 1..* 1..1 1..1
Layout Renderer Source
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36. Use models to drive composite FMs
BroadcastingSystem
Model
1..*
1..1 1..*
1..1 1..* 1..1 1..1
Layout Renderer Source
Feature
models
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37. Use models to drive composite FMs
BroadcastingSystem
Model
1..*
1..1 1..*
1..1 1..* 1..1 1..1
Layout Renderer Source
Source
Layout
InfoKind
Renderer
Classic IRSAM SupportInfo Calendar PictureAlbum Announces
Announces PictureAlbum Calendar ICalReader HyperCal Picasa FlickR Announcement Menu
CalendarByDay
AlbumSlide
SimpleMenu CalendarByMonth
AlbumMosaic AgendaSession Feature
SimpleAnnounces
models
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38. Define functions to express dependencies
1
RestrictionFunction FMAssociation FMAssociationEnd
0..*
1
Metamodel
1
FeatureModel DomainElement MultiplicityElement
1
1..1 1..1
Renderer Source Model
Feature
models
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39. Define functions to express dependencies
1
RestrictionFunction FMAssociation FMAssociationEnd
0..*
1
Metamodel
1
FeatureModel DomainElement MultiplicityElement
1
1..1 1..1
Renderer Source Model
Feature
models
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40. Still separated FMs are
complex
A simplified version realized in june 2012
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41. From domain objects to FMs by merging
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42. From domain objects to FMs by merging
Source Source Source
TypeInfo TypeInfo TypeInfo
PictureAlbum PictureAlbum Tweet
FlickR Picasa Twitter
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43. From domain objects to FMs by merging
Source Source Source
TypeInfo TypeInfo TypeInfo
PictureAlbum PictureAlbum Tweet
FlickR Picasa Twitter
∪ FlickR
Source
TypeInfo
PictureAlbum
Picasa
Tweet
Twitter
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44. Evolution driven by a
community requires refactoring
Source Source Source
InfoKind Criteria InfoKind Criteria InfoKind Criteria
...
Announces Sort PictureAlbum Sort PictureAlbum Sort
Announcement Date FlickR DateTime Picasa ByDate
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45. Evolution driven by a community requires
refactoring
Source Source Source
InfoKind Criteria InfoKind Criteria InfoKind Criteria
...
Announces Sort PictureAlbum Sort PictureAlbum Sort
Announcement Date FlickR DateTime Picasa ByDate
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46. Evolution driven by a community requires
refactoring
Source Source Source
InfoKind Criteria InfoKind Criteria InfoKind Criteria
...
Announces Sort PictureAlbum Sort PictureAlbum Sort
Announcement Date FlickR DateTime Picasa ByDate
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=
21

47. Use refactoring scripts to
support agile evolution
// renaming
renameFeature sourcePicasa.DateTime as "Date"
rootname = strConcat rootname "."
foreach (t in s) do
fname = name t
newname = strConcat rootname fname
renameFeature t newname
end
// remove/insert
removeFeature sourcePicasa.Date
insert fmPartiel into fm1.fmroot with MAND
FAMILIAR: FeAture Model scrIpt Language for manIpulation and
Automatic Reasoning
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48. Conclusion
23

49. Conclusion
Need of tools to agile management of
feature models evolution
23

50. Conclusion
Need of tools to agile management of
feature models evolution
Separation in many feature models
23

51. Conclusion
Need of tools to agile management of
feature models evolution
Separation in many feature models
Definition of a model to link concepts
23

52. Conclusion
Need of tools to agile management of
feature models evolution
Separation in many feature models
Definition of a model to link concepts
Expression of dependencies in the model
23

53. Conclusion
Need of tools to agile management of
feature models evolution
Separation in many feature models
Definition of a model to link concepts
Expression of dependencies in the model
Creation of feature models in a bottom-up
approach using a merge operator
23

54. ... and perspectives!
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55. ... and perspectives!
‣ Validation of our approach on other
usecases:
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56. ... and perspectives!
‣ Validation of our approach on other
usecases:
‣ Internet-of-Things: Sens-App project
Models and Evolution 2012 24

57. ... and perspectives!
‣ Validation of our approach on other
usecases:
‣ Internet-of-Things: Sens-App project
‣ Scientific Workflows: refactoring of an
existing work
Models and Evolution 2012 24

58. ... and perspectives!
‣ Validation of our approach on other
usecases:
‣ Internet-of-Things: Sens-App project
‣ Scientific Workflows: refactoring of an
existing work
‣ Automatization of vocabulary alignment:
towards ontology
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59. Thanks!
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60. Thanks!
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61. 26