How variability helps to make components more flexible and reusable

Abstract

Cross-project and cross-market reusability is the basis for the existence of a component-based development paradigm for the establishment of a software industry based on reusability and conservation of expertise. In this paradigm producer is in need to enhance components' functional capabilities and increase the audiences for successful marketing, so they tend to add extra features to widen the reuse spectrum. However, this in return is recompensed by the component consumers in means of higher prices for unneeded features, overflowing functionality and superfluous code. The component producers need more flexibility to generate specific patterns of components to deal with the changing requests of consumers. In this paper we provide a basis for more flexible components. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media.