TY - JOUR

T1 - Modeling and detecting semantic-based interactions in aspect-oriented scenarios

AU - Mussbacher, Gunter

AU - Whittle, Jon

AU - Amyot, Daniel

PY - 2010/6

Y1 - 2010/6

N2 - Interactions between dependent or conflicting aspects are a well-known problem with aspect-oriented development (as well as related paradigms). These interactions are potentially dangerous and can lead to unexpected or incorrect results when aspects are composed. To date, the majority of aspect interaction detection methods either have been based on purely syntactic comparisons or have relied on heavyweight formal methods. We present a new approach that is based instead on lightweight semantic annotations of aspects. Each aspect is annotated with domain-specific markers and a separate influence model describes how semantic markers from different domains influence each other. Automated analysis can then be used both to highlight semantic aspect conflicts and to trade-off aspects. We apply this technique to early aspects, namely, aspect scenarios, because it is desirable to detect aspect interactions as early in the software lifecycle as possible. We evaluate the technique using two case studies-one from industry and one posed as a challenge problem by the community-and show that the technique detects interactions that cannot be discovered using syntactic techniques. In addition, we show that the technique can apply to many languages through the use of different aspect-oriented scenario notations in the case studies, namely, MATA sequence diagrams and Aspect-oriented Use Case Maps.

AB - Interactions between dependent or conflicting aspects are a well-known problem with aspect-oriented development (as well as related paradigms). These interactions are potentially dangerous and can lead to unexpected or incorrect results when aspects are composed. To date, the majority of aspect interaction detection methods either have been based on purely syntactic comparisons or have relied on heavyweight formal methods. We present a new approach that is based instead on lightweight semantic annotations of aspects. Each aspect is annotated with domain-specific markers and a separate influence model describes how semantic markers from different domains influence each other. Automated analysis can then be used both to highlight semantic aspect conflicts and to trade-off aspects. We apply this technique to early aspects, namely, aspect scenarios, because it is desirable to detect aspect interactions as early in the software lifecycle as possible. We evaluate the technique using two case studies-one from industry and one posed as a challenge problem by the community-and show that the technique detects interactions that cannot be discovered using syntactic techniques. In addition, we show that the technique can apply to many languages through the use of different aspect-oriented scenario notations in the case studies, namely, MATA sequence diagrams and Aspect-oriented Use Case Maps.

KW - Aspects

KW - Goal-oriented Requirement Language

KW - Interaction detection

KW - Semantic interactions

KW - MATA

KW - Sequence diagrams

KW - UML

KW - User Requirements Notation

KW - Aspect-oriented Use Case Maps

U2 - 10.1007/s00766-010-0098-4

DO - 10.1007/s00766-010-0098-4

M3 - Journal article

VL - 15

SP - 197

EP - 214

JO - Requirements Engineering

JF - Requirements Engineering

SN - 0947-3602

IS - 2

ER -