An Aspect-Based Feature Model for Architecting Component Product Lines

Abstract

Feature modeling is widely used for software product line analysis to capture commonality and variability of a product line. As product line variations are mainly captured in a feature model, the mapping between features and architectural components is essential to enable the derivation of product architectures from the feature model. However, current SPL architecture design approaches that map features to architectural components do not model crosscutting concerns explicitly either at a feature model or at product line architecture design. We propose a feature-oriented solution with aspects for product line architecture design aiming at improving product line architecture evolvability by adopting aspect-oriented techniques, which provide a promising support for modeling crosscutting concerns. Our approach includes guidelines for developing and refining SPL requirements into component-based product line architecture with aspects. We evaluated our approach through a preliminary evaluation which has shown promising results.