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A framework for acquisition and application of software architecture evolution knowledge

Ahmad, Aakash, Jamshidi, Pooyan and Pahl, Claus orcid logoORCID: 0000-0002-9049-212X (2013) A framework for acquisition and application of software architecture evolution knowledge. Software Engineering Notes, 38 (5). pp. 1-7. ISSN 0163-5948

Abstract
Software systems continuously evolve as a consequence of frequent changes in their functional requirements and the environment surrounding them. Architecture-centric software evolution (ACSE) enables changes in software structure and behaviour while abstracting the complex implementation-specific details. However, due to recurring evolution there is a need for solutions that enable a systematic reuse of frequent changes in software architectures. In recent years, architecture change patterns and evolution styles proved successful in promoting reuse expertise to tackle architecture evolution. However, there do not exist any solutions that enable a continuous acquisition and application of architecture evolution knowledge to systematically address frequent changes in software architectures. In this paper, we propose a framework PatEvol that aims to unify the concepts of i) software repository mining and ii) software evolution to enable acquisition and application of architecture evolution knowledge. In the proposed PatEvol framework, we present knowledge acquisition (architecture evolution mining) to enable post-mortem analysis of evolution histories to empirically discover evolution-centric knowledge. Furthermore, we support reuse of discovered knowledge to enable knowledge application (architecture evolution execution) that enables evolution-off-the-shelf in software architectures. Tool support facilitates the knowledge acquisition and knowledge application processes in the PatEvol framework.Software systems continuously evolve as a consequence of frequent changes in their functional requirements and the environment surrounding them. Architecture-centric software evolution (ACSE) enables changes in software structure and behaviour while abstracting the complex implementation-specific details. However, due to recurring evolution there is a need for solutions that enable a systematic reuse of frequent changes in software architectures. In recent years, architecture change patterns and evolution styles proved successful in promoting reuse expertise to tackle architecture evolution. However, there do not exist any solutions that enable a continuous acquisition and application of architecture evolution knowledge to systematically address frequent changes in software architectures. In this paper, we propose a framework PatEvol that aims to unify the concepts of i) software repository mining and ii) software evolution to enable acquisition and application of architecture evolution knowledge. In the proposed PatEvol framework, we present knowledge acquisition (architecture evolution mining) to enable post-mortem analysis of evolution histories to empirically discover evolution-centric knowledge. Furthermore, we support reuse of discovered knowledge to enable knowledge application (architecture evolution execution) that enables evolution-off-the-shelf in software architectures. Tool support facilitates the knowledge acquisition and knowledge application processes in the PatEvol framework.
Metadata
Item Type:Article (Published)
Refereed:Yes
Uncontrolled Keywords:Software Architecture; Software Evolution; Architecture Evolution Knowledge; Evolution Patterns
Subjects:Computer Science > Software engineering
DCU Faculties and Centres:Research Institutes and Centres > Lero: The Irish Software Engineering Research Centre
DCU Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Engineering and Computing > School of Computing
Publisher:ACM SIGSOFT
Official URL:http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=2507301&CFID=241...
Copyright Information:© ACM, 2013. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of ACM for your personal use. Not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Software Engineering Notes, 38(5) http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=2507301&CFID=241640812&CFTOKEN=30376714
Use License:This item is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 3.0 License. View License
ID Code:19226
Deposited On:05 Sep 2013 11:00 by Claus Pahl . Last Modified 21 Jan 2021 17:12
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