Transformations everywhere

Author (SCP guest editor)

Ralf Lämmel

Abstract

This special issue is devoted to `program transformation' in the sense of \emph{tool-supported adaptation of software systems}. Software engineering and software re-engineering relies on such transformations, which are automated in tools for refactoring, migration, program specialisation, compiler optimisation, database re-engineering, software configuration, business-rule extraction, aspect weaving, aspect mining, architectural modifications, model-driven approaches, and others.

This special issue bundles 10 state-of-the-art contributions, while covering the broad area of program transformation in a complementary, almost survey-like manner. Three papers relate to refactoring~---~to the composition problem, to reasoning about correctness, and to the details of challenging refactoring samples. Two papers survey successful transformation systems, namely the Tempo system for program specialisation, and the FermaT system for software migration. One paper develops concepts for run-time system transformations. Finally, four papers communicate idioms or concepts for transformation systems: higher-order and dynamic traversals, the use of flow analysis for driving transformations, validated compiler transformations, and the cause-effect patterns in partial evaluation.

This introduction to the special issue briefly describes the included articles, and connects them to general concerns in research on program transformation. In addition, a list of research challenges is compiled, which perhaps will be useful in the further exploration of the area of program transformation.

Paper for download

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Bibtex entry

@article{Laemmel04,
 author    = "Ralf L{\"a}mmel",
 title     = "{Transformations everywhere}",
 journal   = "Science of Computer Programming",
 year      = 2004,
 note      = "To appear;
              The guest editor's introduction
              to the SCP special issue on program transformation"
}