QCCS IST-1999-20122
Quality Controlled Component-based Software development
Key Action: KA4
Action line: Component-based
software engineering
Project Abstract:
Before Component Based Development will be accepted
widely, the quality of the components needs to be guaranteed. Within QCCS we
will develop a methodology and supporting tools that can guarantee that a
component will perform as specified.Using the methodology will result in formal
contracts for the components. Each contract refers to various quality aspects,
related to syntax, behaviour, synchronisation, and performance. In the
methodology we will use the AspectOriented Programming approach to specify each
quality aspect separately. Specially designed Aspect Weavers will then weave
these partial implementations together, such that the resulting integrated
system fulfils a certain contract. We will test this methodology on two case
studies and disseminate the results widely. We will actively take part in
relevant de-facto standardisation bodies. We foresee to start a joint venture to
exploit the results.
Objectives:
Contracts for software components are a novel way of
guaranteeing their quality. It is a difficult task to design components that
comply to contracts, because different problem dimensions or quality aspects
have to be addressed at the same time. To overcome this, the QCCS project will
develop a methodology and supporting tools for the development of components
that is based on Aspect Oriented Programming. This implies that partial
implementations will be developed, each addressing one single quality aspect of
the component. These will be woven together by especially designed aspect
weavers to a complete component, complying a certain contract. This new approach
will be tested and evaluated on two real applications. The results will be
disseminated widely, for instance by contributing to relevant de-facto
standards. A final objective is to start the commercial exploitation of the
results.
Description of the Work:
The QCCS project is divided into six workpackages.
Workpackage 1 is dedicated to the management of the project. Workpackage 2 is
related to acquiring the user needs. Here we will study the current way of
developing components, and improvements the software engineering community
requires. The two case studies will be described in detail, and the contracts
that are necessary for the components of the case studies will described
informally. In Workpackage 3 the QCCS methodology will be developed. This will
start with an analysis of existing Software Analysis and Design methods and
component models. The most appropriate ones for QCCS will be selected, and they
will be adapted to the Aspect Oriented Paradigm for the chosen target component
model. We will use the Unified Modelling Language (UML) as the notation for our
QCCS methodology, which means that we will express the contracts in UML. In
Workpackage 4, the results of WP3 will be transformed into software prototypes
for a development framework and supporting tools. For instance, the Aspect
Weavers that are necessary to comply to the standard contracts will be
implemented. In Workpackage 5 the methodology as well as the software prototypes
are applied and evaluated on two case studies of our users. Workpackage 6 is
dedicated to dissemination, standardization and exploitation activities.
Milestones:
At
Month 7, the User Requirements will be known. A first complete version of the
QCCS methodology will be ready in Month 18. In Month 24, a preliminary
(complete) environment which supports the QCCS methodology will be ready. The
final version of the QCCS system in Month 27, and its evaluation will be ready
in Month 30. The exploitation plan will also be ready in Month 30.
Contact point:
List of Participants
|
Participant Name |
Country |
Role |
| SEMA GROUP SAE |
E |
CO |
| INSTITUT NATIONAL DE RECHERCHE EN INFORMATIQUE ET EN AUTOMATIQUE |
F |
CR |
| JOHANN WOLFGANG GOETHE-UNIVERSITAET FRANKFURT/MAIN |
D |
CR |
| KD SOFTWARE SPOL.S R.O. |
CZ |
CR |
Start date:
01-Nov-2000
Duration: 30 months