A framework to deal with heterogeneous meta-programming in large: Meta-program lifecycle

Abstract

The aim of Part II is to extend the knowledge about heterogeneous meta-programming considered so far. This part starts with Chap. 7 entitled ‘A Framework to Deal with Heterogeneous Meta-Programming in Large: Meta-Program Lifecycle’. The concept ‘meta-programming in large’ entails the following meaning: (1) to transfer technical aspects of the topic wider at the higher level of abstraction than they were discussed in Part I and (2) to extend the view to meta-programming by analysing also non-technical aspects of the topic. To do so, we first introduce a framework (Chap. 7) that outlines the most general vision to heterogeneous meta-programming. This vision combines the meta-program lifecycle with non-technical aspects of meta-programming such as reuse and role of actors involved in the meta-program development, usage and evolution. The framework also identifies the links of meta-programming with the meta-design paradigm.