Improving alignment of crosscutting features with code in product line engineering

Abstract

Feature models used in product line engineering often include features that crosscut other features. These features cannot be cleanly modularized using object-oriented techniques and are the source of scattering and tangling in implementation modules. This significantly complicates the traceability of features during the development and maintenance of a product line and during the instantiation of a product. This paper proposes a model-driven approach for mapping features to a design in the aspect-oriented role-based language Object Teams. The approach has been evaluated in an industrial case study for developing a security product line that can be applied to several applications using aspect bindings.