Combinatorial model and aspect-oriented extension of architecture description language

Abstract

Component-based software development approach is one of the most promising solutions for the emerging high development cost, low productivity, unmanageable software quality and high risk. This approach, however, encounters some problems about unseparated crosscutting concerns that are easy to lead to the code-tangling and code-scattering. Aspect-oriented programming enables the handling of crosscutting concerns and implements the separation of concerns. It will help to understand the software system better and strengthen the adaptability, maintainability and reusability of the final software. This paper defines the aspect model at first, and then the static and dynamic combinatorial semantic between component and aspect are described. The definition is an extension of traditional architecture model. Based on the definition, we extend the XADL by introducing the aspect, which enhances the nonfunctional properties description capability of ADL. Furthermore, using the ATM system as an example, we illustrate how to describe the system with the label we defined.