Forensic debugging of model transformations

Abstract

Software bugs occur in model-driven development, just as they do with traditional development techniques. We explore the types of bugs that occur in model transformations and identify debugging approaches that can be applied or adapted to a model-driven context. Investigation shows that the detailed source-to-target traceability available with model transformations enables effective post-hoc, or forensic, debugging. Forensic debugging techniques are introduced for automated bug localisation in model transformations. The methods discussed are grounded with examples using the Eclipse Modeling Framework (EMF) and Tefkat, a declarative model transformation engine. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2007.