Model Mapping Using Formalism Extensions

The Object Management Group's model driven architecture defines a system development approach that formally separates system specification from platform implementations — in platform-independent models and platform-specific models, respectively. According to MDA, software development involves a sequence of model mappings that transform an initial PIM to a final PSM that is precise enough for direct translation into an executable program. A mapping is a set of rules and techniques for translating one model into another. When the starting and final models are expressed in the same formalism, the mapping is said to be intralanguage; otherwise, it is interlanguage. We focus here on interlanguage mapping, showing the central role of formalism extension mechanisms in managing the abstraction-level gap between languages as well as the platform-level details of specific implementations.