Metamodeling

etamodeling, or meta-modeling in software engineering and systems engineering a part of added disciplines, is the analysis, architecture and development of the frames, rules, constraints, models and theories applicative and advantageous for clay a predefined chic of problems. As its name implies, this abstraction applies the notions of meta- and modeling.

Overview

Metamodeling" is the architecture of a accumulating of "concepts" (things, terms, etc.) aural a assertive domain. A archetypal is an absorption of phenomena in the absolute world; a metamodel is yet addition abstraction, highlighting backdrop of the archetypal itself. A archetypal conforms to its metamodel in the way that a computer affairs conforms to the grammar of the programming accent in which it is written.

Common uses for metamodels are:

As a action for semantic abstracts that needs to be exchanged or stored

As a accent that supports a accurate adjustment or process

As a accent to accurate added semantics of absolute information

Because of the "meta" appearance of metamodeling, both the praxis and approach of metamodels are of appliance to metasciencedisambiguation bare , metaphilosophy, metatheories and systemics, and meta-consciousness. The abstraction can be advantageous in mathematics, and has applied applications in computer science and computer engineering/software engineering, which are the capital focus of this article.

Metamodeling topics

In software engineering, the use of models is added and added recommended. This should be assorted with the classical code-based development techniques. A archetypal consistently conforms to a different metamodel. One of the currently a lot of alive annex of Archetypal Driven Engineering is the access alleged model-driven architectonics proposed by OMG. This access is based on the appliance of a accent to address metamodels alleged the Meta Object Facility or MOF. Typical metamodels proposed by OMG are UML, SysML, SPEM or CWM. ISO has aswell appear the accepted metamodel ISO/IEC 24744.3 All the languages presented beneath could be authentic as MOF metamodels.

editMetadata modeling

Metadata clay is a blazon of metamodeling acclimated in software engineering and systems engineering for the assay and architecture of models applicative and advantageous to some predefined chic of problems.

editModel transformations

One important move in Archetypal Driven Engineering is the analytical use of Archetypal Transformation Languages. The OMG has proposed a accepted for this alleged QVT for Queries/Views/Transformations. QVT is based on the Meta-Object Facility or MOF. Among abounding added Archetypal Transformation Languages (MTLs), some examples of implementations of this accepted are AndroMDA, VIATRA, Tefkat, MTdisambiguation bare , ManyDesigns Portofino.

Relationship to ontologies

Meta-models are carefully accompanying to ontologies. Both are generally acclimated to call and assay the relations amid concepts4

Ontologies: accurate something allusive aural a defined cosmos or area of address by utilizing a grammar for application vocabulary. The grammar specifies what it agency to be a admirable statement, assertion, query, etc. (formal constraints) on how agreement in the ontology’s controlled cant can be acclimated together.5

Meta-modeling: can be advised as an absolute description (constructs and rules) of how a domain-specific archetypal is built. In particular, this comprises a formalized blueprint of the domain-specific notations. Typically, metamodels are – and consistently should chase - a austere aphorism set.6 “A accurate metamodel is an ontology, but not all ontologies are modeled absolutely as metamodels”.5

Types of metamodels

For software engineering, several types of models (and their agnate clay activities) can be distinguished:

Metadata clay (MetaData Model)

Meta-Process Clay (MetaProcess Model)

Executable Meta-Modeling (combining both of the aloft and abundant more, as in the accepted purpose apparatus Kermeta)

Model Transformation Language (see below)

editZoos of metamodels

A library of agnate metamodels has been alleged a Zoo of metamodels.7 There are several types of meta-model zoos.8 Some are bidding in ECore. Others are accounting in MOF 1.4 - XMI 1.2. The metamodels bidding in UML-XMI1.2 may be uploaded in Poseidon for UML, a UML CASE tool.