An extensible model of architecture description

Abstract

In this paper we present a formal model of architecture description. The model formalizes the general design concepts that are common to many currently popular architecture description languages (ADLs), including the main categories of design information, their inter-relationships and constraints. Our primary interest in the model is as a basis for an architecture analysis framework. With this in mind, we pay particular attention to the extensibility of the model's basic structure. Specifically, the main design categories are partitioned into a core component and a set of extensions. This allows the addition of design information which may be useful for some forms of analysis, while allowing less relevant information to be removed when it is not needed. The model is presented using the Z specification language. We demonstrate the addition of design information throughout the paper with several simple examples of ADL-specific extensions. © 2000 ACM Software architecture,.