Formal software specification with refinements and modules of typed graph transformation systems

Abstract

Graph transformation systems are a formal specification technique for software systems that support the rule based specification of the dynamic behaviour of a system. Their main advantages are the intuitive visual representation of states and state transformations as graphs on the one hand, and the fully formal semantics on the other hand, that allow precise statements about the specification and tool support. In this paper we introduce refinements and modules for typed graph transformation systems to support the software specification development in both dimensions: modules for the horizontal structuring of a specification, i.e., its composition from feasible parts, and refinements for the development over time. © 2002 Elsevier Science (USA).