RARep: A reference architecture repository

Abstract

Reference architectures are a special type of software architectures that have been proposed for supporting standardization, development, and evolution of software systems of a given domain. As these architectures could contribute for knowledge reuse and increased productivity, several companies have been creating specific reference architectures for their field of expertise. Nonetheless, there is no mechanism that enable recovering, publishing, and sharing existing reference architectures for the public. The main contribution of this paper is to present RARep (Reference Architecture Repository), a web-based reference architecture repository supporting the dissemination of materials related to reference architectures. As a result, this tool can facilitate the access to information on reference architectures and, hence, promote the sharing of architectural knowledge contained in such architectures.