MontiCore: a Framework for Compositional Development of Domain Specific Languages (1409.2367v1)

Abstract: Domain specific languages (DSLs) are increasingly used today. Coping with complex language definitions, evolving them in a structured way, and ensuring their error freeness are the main challenges of DSL design and implementation. The use of modular language definitions and composition operators are therefore inevitable in the independent development of language components. In this article, we discuss these arising issues by describing a framework for the compositional development of textual DSLs and their supporting tools. We use a redundance-free definition of a readable concrete syntax and a comprehensible abstract syntax as both representations significantly overlap in their structure. For enhancing the usability of the abstract syntax, we added concepts like associations and inheritance to a grammar- based definition in order to build up arbitrary graphs (as known from metamodeling). Two modularity concepts, grammar inheritance and embedding, are discussed. They permit compositional language definition and thus simplify the extension of languages based on already existing ones. We demonstrate that compositional engineering of new languages is a useful concept when project-individual DSLs with appropriate tool support are defined.

• The paper presents a framework that streamlines DSL development via modular grammar definitions and composition operators.
• It integrates concrete and abstract syntax within a unified grammar to reduce redundancy and enhance development agility.
• The framework offers extensive tooling and IDE integration, enabling robust editor support, error messaging, and seamless language extension.

Overview of MontiCore: A Framework for Compositional Development of Domain-Specific Languages

MontiCore offers a comprehensive framework aimed at advancing the modular and compositional development of domain-specific languages (DSLs). Recognizing the increasing complexity and specificity in DSL design and implementation, the authors propose methods to streamline the process using modular language definitions and composition operators. This framework is significant for its reduction of redundancy in language definitions while enhancing maintainability through modular grammar constructs like inheritance and embedding.

Methodology and Framework Features

MontiCore leverages textual DSLs, exploiting the reusability of existing tools like syntax highlighting editors and parser-generators such as ANTLR. The framework supports concrete and abstract syntax integration using a unified grammar format, which mitigates redundancy and enhances consistency across language modules. This integration allows for the agile development of DSLs that may range from specific programming languages to textual representations of graphical models.

The framework incorporates several advanced features:

1. Grammar Inheritance and Embedding: MontiCore introduces grammar inheritance akin to object-oriented programming concepts, allowing languages to evolve by inheriting and refining existing grammars. It supports compositional language integration through syntax extensions without altering the existing language's core.
2. Concrete and Abstract Syntax Cohesion: By aligning concrete and abstract syntax definitions within a single grammar, MontiCore maintains seamless consistency, avoiding duplication problems, and improving iterative development workflows.
3. Associations and Graph Constructs: The framework extends the abstract syntax tree (AST) capabilities by supporting graphs, embedding associations, and utilizing extended attributes to fulfill complex language requirements. This approach enables deriving full-fledged graph structures beyond conventional tree-based models through seamless navigation and symbol-table construction.
4. Tooling Infrastructure: The MontiCore tooling facilitates the orchestration of modular language development by providing functionalities like editor generation, syntax highlighting, and error messaging. It supports modular development of analysis tools and code generators with the help of DSLTool-framework components, which simplify the configuration and reuse of language processing algorithms across various domains.

MontiCore also ensures smooth integration with IDEs like Eclipse, generating plugins that offer sophisticated editor functionalities with minimal configuration. This aspect of the framework emphasizes its utility in agile language development, reflecting how tool support and language specifications are co-evolved.

Implications and Future Prospects

MontiCore sets the foundation for scalable and modular language engineering, particularly in the field of DSLs. The framework's commitment to architectural modularity and language extensibility underscores its relevance in an environment where DSL sophistication is often directly proportional to the complexity of the domain addressed.

Practically, MontiCore facilitates the tailored development of DSLs with robust tooling support, expediting the process of language evolution and adaptation in response to domain-specific requirements. Theoretically, the integration of language structures and constructs into a cohesive modular system can stimulate further research into compositional language theory and cloning of such methodologies in graphical or visual DSL domains.

The framework's adaptability through modular constructs and embedded tool infrastructure suggests future prospects of more extensive domain applications, including but not limited to, software engineering, systems modeling, and even broader computational domains where domain-specific customization of languages is salient. Further exploration could delve into enhancing MontiCore's interoperability with other modeling frameworks and extending its capabilities in handling even more complex context conditions.

In conclusion, MontiCore presents a sophisticated approach to the compositional engineering of DSLs, offering extensive tooling support while maintaining modularity, reuse, and adaptability—key attributes vital for modern software development paradigms.