Execution of UML models · 2019-12-05 · UML1(.x) In industrial practice, UML models have been...

Execution of UML models Present and Future of Research and Practice

Federico Ciccozzi, Ivano Malavolta, Bran Selic Mälardalen University, Vrije University, Malina Software Corp. Ericsson Modeling Days 2016

UML1(.x)

●  In industrial practice, UML models have been used primarily for problem understanding(i.e., analysis) and documentation

●  Nevertheless, several tools supporting executable variants of UML

●  These tools historically relied on custom semantics (profiles) in combination with traditional third-generation programming languages (e.g., C++ or Java) for specifying detailed action code

Thereby..

●  Tools not fully compliant with the UML standard

●  (Industrial) end users forced into a potentially dangerous “vendor lock-in” predicament

The (r)evolution of UML2

●  Semantically more precise than UML1 when it comes to execution aspects

●  Provided with fUML, a formal specification of the executable semantics for a subset of UML2

●  Provided with ALF, a textual action language based on fUML for compact and complete specification of complex behaviors including their algorithmic parts

So that..

UML models based on UML2, fUML and ALF are fully executable provided that corresponding methods and

tools are available

About this study: Why?

Identify, classify and evaluate the states of the art and practice of solutions for executing models based

on the UML family of languages

About this study: What?

●  a classification framework for classifying, comparing, and evaluating solutions for UML models execution

●  an up-to-date systematic review of the states of the art and practice in UML models execution

●  an exploration of emerging research challenges and implications for future research and practice of UML models execution

About this study: How?

●  Systematic review (SR)

●  The first systematic investigation of the states of the art and practice of the execution of UML models

●  Over 4,500 study candidates were scrutinized

●  70 studies were selected for answering the research questions that we identified

●  Study report currently under revision at the IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering (TSE)

About this study: Who?

●  Principal researcher: Federico Ciccozzi, involved in all the activities, i.e. planning the study, conducting it, and reporting

●  Research methodologist: Ivano Malavolta, involved in (i) the planning phase of the study, and (ii) supporting the principal researcher

●  Advisor: Bran Selic, provided guidance on key decisions and solving conflicts. He also supported the other researchers during data and findings synthesis activities

Our Systematic Review Process

Search and Selection

Data extraction and synthesis

Results: Publication trends

●  RQ1 – What are the publication trends of research studies pertaining to solutions for execution of UML models?

●  From 2008 there has been a growing scientific interest on UML models execution; this positive trend has been steady in the past 5 years (except 2010)

●  Conferences and journals are the most targeted publication venues, testifying that UML models execution is becoming a significant research theme

●  Research on UML models execution is spread across a large number of heterogeneous venues

●  Researchers focus more on benefits and effects of models execution, rather than on the specific execution techniques

Results: Technical characteristics

●  RQ2 – What are the technical characteristics of existing solutions for execution of UML models?

●  Solutions providing translational execution (i.e., code generation) outnumber interpretive and compilative solutions

Compilation

Interpretation

Translation

a) Execution strategy

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

b) Support for simulation

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Production

Quality

Correctness

c) Intended benefits

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

d) Associated process

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

e) Extensibility

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Medium

f) Readiness level

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Code size

Not supported

Adaptability

Performance

Safety

Security

g) Supported non−functional properties

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

●  Interpretive solutions are mainly addressing higher-level execution (e.g., for simulation)

●  Compilative solutions leverage very limited subsets of UML

●  There is no solution for execution of partial UML models

●  A very small amount of solutions explicitly provides mechanisms which enable extension and customization

Compilation

Interpretation

Translation

a) Execution strategy

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

b) Support for simulation

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Production

Quality

Correctness

c) Intended benefits

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

d) Associated process

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

e) Extensibility

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Medium

f) Readiness level

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Code size

Not supported

Adaptability

Performance

Safety

Security

g) Supported non−functional properties

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

●  Very few solutions provide support for model-level debugging

●  Very few solutions explicit traceability for consistent navigation from models to code (and viceversa)

●  Many solutions based on ad-hoc profiles

Ad−hocTiming

Use casePackage

InteractionObject

CommunicationDeployment

SequenceComponent

Comp. structureActivity

State machineClass

a) Required UML diagrams

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

11222345

153030

Other languages

Uml actions

b) Used action languages

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

ModelicaML

UML−PA

UML−SPT

SystemC UML profile

UML−RT

Ad−hoc UML profile

c) Explicitly required UML profiles

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

No informationTool independent

Other toolsCHESS

Sparx Enterprise ArchitectIBM Rational Rose

Artisan Real−Time StudioIBM Rational Software Architect

Eclipse UML2Eclipse Papyrus

d) Modeling tool

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

1722234

e) Based on the fUML standard

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

f) MDA levels covered

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

●  Many solutions leverage non-standard action languages

Ad−hocTiming

Use casePackage

InteractionObject

SequenceComponent

State machineClass

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

11222345

153030

Other languages

Uml actions

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

ModelicaML

UML−PA

UML−SPT

SystemC UML profile

UML−RT

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Other toolsCHESS

d) Modeling tool

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

1722234

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

●  Very few solutions based on fUML (growing)

Ad−hocTiming

Use casePackage

InteractionObject

SequenceComponent

State machineClass

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

11222345

153030

Other languages

Uml actions

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

ModelicaML

UML−PA

UML−SPT

SystemC UML profile

UML−RT

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Other toolsCHESS

d) Modeling tool

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

1722234

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

●  Papyrus seems to be the most used modelling tool

Ad−hocTiming

Use casePackage

InteractionObject

SequenceComponent

State machineClass

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

11222345

153030

Other languages

Uml actions

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

ModelicaML

UML−PA

UML−SPT

SystemC UML profile

UML−RT

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Other toolsCHESS

d) Modeling tool

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

1722234

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Results: Provided evidence and limitations ●  The majority of the analyzed studies provide validation

rather than evaluation

Evaluation

Validation

a) Applied Research Method

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Industrial evaluation

Set of experiments

Empirical experiment in the lab

Set of examples from industry

Industrial empirical experiment

Example from industry

Set of examples

Example

b) Type of evidence

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Mathematical functionWeb

Modeling languageMobile app

Consumer electronicsMobile robotic system

ManufacturingInformation system

Business processesMonitoring and sensing

Media converterController

CommunicationSynthetic

c) Type of system for evidence

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

1123344444

ScalabiltiyExecution strategies combination

Portability enhancementPlatform independence enhancement

Reusability enhancementPlatform−specific limitations

Support for runtime models updateGenerated code optimization

Execution correctness assessmentExecution platform improvement

Traceability enhancementSupport for model checking

Additional evaluationAdditional analysis of models

Better coverage of UMLTool enhancement

Expressiveness enhancement

d) Identified limitations and needs for improvement

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

111222233344

Evaluation

Validation

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Set of experiments

Set of examples

Example

b) Type of evidence

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

1123344444

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

111222233344

Results: Provided evidence and limitations ●  A small number of studies provides evidence by

experimentation in industrial settings; among them, only a few rely on empirical evaluation

Evaluation

Validation

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Set of experiments

Set of examples

Example

b) Type of evidence

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

1123344444

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

111222233344

Results: Provided evidence and limitations ●  The most common limitations are ●  supported expressiveness in terms of covered UML

concepts ●  inadequate tool support

Our Perspectives for UML execution

●  The results of our study tell us that the following should be given priority both by researchers and tool developers

●  ability to execute abstract (high-level) and incomplete models

enhanced observability of executing models enhanced control of model execution directly compiled model executables support for UML-compliant action languages support for executing models based on UML profiles integration of UML simulators into heterogeneous (multi-paradigm) simulation systems use of model-reference approaches at runtime

●  enhanced observability of executing models

enhanced control of model execution directly compiled model executables support for UML-compliant action languages support for executing models based on UML profiles integration of UML simulators into heterogeneous (multi-paradigm) simulation systems use of model-reference approaches at runtime

●  enhanced control of model execution

directly compiled model executables support for UML-compliant action languages support for executing models based on UML profiles integration of UML simulators into heterogeneous (multi-paradigm) simulation systems use of model-reference approaches at runtime

●  directly compiled model executables support for UML-compliant action languages support for executing models based on UML profiles integration of UML simulators into heterogeneous (multi-paradigm) simulation systems use of model-reference approaches at runtime

●  directly compiled model executables

●  support for UML-compliant action languages support for executing models based on UML profiles integration of UML simulators into heterogeneous (multi-paradigm) simulation systems use of model-reference approaches at runtime

●  support for UML-compliant action languages

●  support for executing models based on UML profiles

integration of UML simulators into heterogeneous (multi-paradigm) simulation systems use of model-reference approaches at runtime

●  integration of UML simulators into heterogeneous (multi-paradigm) simulation systems

use of model-reference approaches at runtime

●  integration of UML simulators into heterogeneous (multi-paradigm) simulation systems

●  use of model-reference approaches at runtime

Thanks for your attention!

Contact: federico.ciccozzi@mdh.se

Primary studies I

Primary studies II

Primary tools

Execution of UML models · 2019-12-05 · UML1(.x) In industrial practice, UML models have been...

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