Using meta-model transformation to model software evolution

Abstract

Understanding how software systems evolve is useful from different perspectives: reverse engineering, empirical studies etc.. For an effective understanding we need an explicit meta-model. We introduce Hismo, a meta-model which is centered around the notion of history and we show how we can obtain it from a snapshot meta-model. Based on our experience in developing the Hismo reverse engineering system, we show how we can transform a snapshot meta-model in a history meta-model. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.