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A Quantitative Assessment of Aspectual Feature Modules for Evolving Software Product Lines

  • Conference paper
Programming Languages

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNPSE,volume 7554))

Abstract

Feature-Oriented Programming (FOP) and Aspect-Oriented Programming (AOP) are programming techniques based on composition mechanisms, called refinements and aspects, respectively. These techniques are assumed to be good variability mechanisms for implementing Software Product Lines (SPLs). Aspectual Feature Modules (AFM) is an approach that combines advantages of feature modules and aspects to increase concern modularity. Some guidelines of how to integrate these techniques have been established in some studies, but these studies do not focus the analysis on how effectively AFM can preserve the modularity and stability facilitating SPL evolution. The main purpose of this paper is to investigate whether the simultaneous use aspects and features through the AFM approach facilitates the evolution of SPLs. The quantitative data were collected from a SPL developed using four different variability mechanisms: (1) feature modules, aspects and aspects refinements of AFM, (2) aspects of aspect-oriented programming (AOP), (3) feature modules of feature-oriented programming (FOP), and (4) conditional compilation (CC) with object-oriented programming. Metrics for change propagation and modularity stability were calculated and the results support the benefits of the AFM option in a context where the product line has been evolved with addition or modification of crosscutting concerns.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Federal University of Uberlândia, Brazil

    Felipe Nunes Gaia, Gabriel Coutinho Sousa Ferreira & Marcelo de Almeida Maia

  2. Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil

    Eduardo Figueiredo

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  1. Felipe Nunes Gaia
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  2. Gabriel Coutinho Sousa Ferreira
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  3. Eduardo Figueiredo
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  4. Marcelo de Almeida Maia
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Universidade Federal do Ceará, Departamento de Computação, Campus Universitário do Pici, Bloco 910, 60356-001, Fortaleza, Brazil

    Francisco Heron de Carvalho Junior

  2. Departamento de Informática, Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal

    Luis Soares Barbosa

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© 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Gaia, F.N., Ferreira, G.C.S., Figueiredo, E., de Almeida Maia, M. (2012). A Quantitative Assessment of Aspectual Feature Modules for Evolving Software Product Lines. In: de Carvalho Junior, F.H., Barbosa, L.S. (eds) Programming Languages. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 7554. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-33182-4_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-33182-4_11

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-33181-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-33182-4

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