UCLAONT: Ontology-Based UML Class Models Verification Tool

Abstract

The software design model performs an important role in modern software engineering methods. Especially in Model-Driven Engineering (MDE), it is treated as an essential asset of software development; even programming language code is produced by the models. If the model has errors, then they can propagate into the code. Model verification tools check the presence of errors in the model. This paper shows how a UML class model verification tool has been built to support complex models and unsupported elements such as XOR constraints and dependency relationships. This tool uses ontology for verifying the UML class model. It takes a class model in XMI format and generates the OWL file. Performs verification of model in two steps: (1) uses the ontology-based algorithm to verify association multiplicity constraints; and (2) uses ontology reasoner for the verification of XOR constraints and dependency relationships. The results show the proposed tool improves the verification efficiency and supports the verification of UML class model elements that have not been supported by any existing tool.