Model transformation

A model transformation in Model Driven Engineering takes as input a model conforming to a given metamodel and produces as output another model conforming to a given metamodel.

Overview

If the source and target metamodels are identical, the transformation is called endogeneous. If they are different the transformation is called exogeneous. If the level of abstraction does not change, the transformation is called horizontal. If the level of abstraction does change, the transformation is called vertical.

A model transformation may also have several source models and several target models. One of the characteristics of a model transformation is that a transformation is also a model, i.e. it conforms to a given metamodel. This facilitates the definition of Higher Order Transformations (HOTs), i.e. transformations taking other transformations as input and/or transformations producing other transformations as output.

Several Model Transformation Languages (in short MTL) are presently available

See also

• Model Driven Engineering (MDE)
• Model-driven architecture (MDA)
• Domain Specific Language (DSL)
• Model Transformation Language
• Refinement
• Transformation
• Program transformation
• Data transformation
• Graph transformation

Further reading

• Model Driven Architecture: Applying MDA to Enterprise Computing, David S. Frankel, John Wiley & Sons, ISBN 0-471-31920-1
• A Taxonomy of Model Transformations, Tom Mens, Krzysztof Czarnecki and Pieter Van Gorp, 2005

External links

• Model-Driven Architecture: Vision, Standards And Emerging Technologies at omg.org
• An Introduction to Model Driven Architecture at ibm.com
• Understanding the Model Driven Architecture (MDA) from Methods & Tools
• Czarnecki, K, and Helsen, S : Classification of Model Transformation Approaches. In: Proceedings of the OOPSLA'03 Workshop on the Generative Techniques in the Context Of Model-Driven Architecture, Anaheim, California, USA. Webpublished.
• Portal site MDA and Model Transformation: site access