Metamodeling

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This is the concept of metamodeling in computer science and related disciplines. For the language patterns known as the Meta-model in Neuro-linguistic programming see Meta model (NLP). For the approximating models known as the Meta-model in Computer_simulation see Surrogate model.

Most general, metamodeling or meta-modeling is the analysis, construction and development of the frames, rules, constraints, models and theories applicable and useful for the modeling in a predefined class of problems. This concept definition is composed with the notions of the terms meta- and modeling.


Contents

[edit] Overview

For the reason of the meta character of metamodeling, this activity and metamodels are the domain of interest of metascience, metaphilosophy, metatheories and systemics, as well as, are related to meta-consciousness.

From the computational perspective, this concept is used in mathematics, and is practically applied in computer science and computer engineering/software engineering, what mainly is illustrated in this article.

In computer science and related disciplines, metamodeling is the construction of a collection of "concepts" (things, terms, etc.) within a certain domain. A model is an abstraction of phenomena in the real world, and a metamodel is yet another abstraction, highlighting properties of the model itself. This model is said to conform to its metamodel like a program conforms to the grammar of the programming language in which it is written. Common uses for metamodels are:

  • As a schema for semantic data that needs to be exchanged or stored
  • As a language that supports a particular method or process
  • As a language to express additional semantics of existing information

[edit] Topics in metamodeling

[edit] Definition

The following discussion can be viewed as a detailed application of metamodeling techniques, related to Model Driven Engineering. In data engineering and software engineering, the use of models is more and more recommended. This should be contrasted with the classical code-based development techniques. A model always conforms to a unique metamodel. One of the currently most active branch of Model Driven Engineering is the approach named model-driven architecture proposed by OMG[1]. This approach is based on the utilization of a language to write metamodels called the Meta Object Facility or MOF. Typical metamodels proposed by OMG are UML, SysML, SPEM or CWM. ISO has also published the standard metamodel ISO/IEC 24744. All the languages presented below could be defined as MOF metamodels.

[edit] Metadata modeling

Metadata modeling is a type of metamodeling used in software engineering and systems engineering for the analysis and construction of models applicable and useful to some predefined class of problems.

[edit] Model transformations

One important move in Model Driven Engineering is the systematic use of Model Transformation Languages. The OMG has proposed a standard for this called QVT for Queries/Views/Transformations. QVT is based on the Meta-Object Facility or MOF. Among many other Model Transformation Languages (MTLs), some examples of implementations of this standard are AndroMDA, VIATRA, Tefkat or MT.

[edit] Relationship to ontologies

Meta-models are closely related to ontologies. Both are often used to describe and analyze the relations between concepts [Söderström2002].

Ontologies express something meaningful within a specified universe or domain of discourse by utilizing a grammar for using vocabulary. The grammar specifies what it means to be a well-formed statement, assertion, query, etc. (formal constraints) on how terms in the ontology’s controlled vocabulary can be used together. [Metamodel-b]

Meta-modeling can be considered as an explicit description (constructs and rules) of how a domain-specific model is built. In particular, this comprises a formalized specification of the domain-specific notations. Typically, metamodels are – and always should follow - a strict rule set. [Metamodel-a]. “A valid metamodel is an ontology, but not all ontology are modeled explicitly as metamodels” [Metamodel-b].

[edit] Types of meta-models

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

[edit] Zoos of metamodels

A library of similar meta-models has been called a Zoo of meta-models.[1] There are several types of meta-model zoos.[2] Some are expressed in ECore. Others are written in MOF 1.4 - XMI 1.2. The metamodels expressed in UML-XMI1.2 may be uploaded in Poseidon for UML, a UML CASE tool.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ paper.
  2. ^ AtlanticZoo.
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[edit] Further reading

  • Booch, G., Rumbaugh, J., Jacobson, I. (1999), The Unified Modeling Language User Guide, Redwood City, CA: Addison Wesley Longman Publishing Co., Inc.
  • J. P. van Gigch, System Design Modeling and Metamodeling, Plenum Press, New York, 1991
  • J. Bezivin, On the Unification Power of Models, in: Software and System Modeling (SoSym) 4(2):171--188.
  • Ernst, What is meta-modeling? 11.10.2002.
  • Woody Pidcock, What are the differences between a vocabulary, a taxonomy, a thesaurus, an ontology, and a meta-model?, 10.10.2002.
  • E. Söderström, B. Andersson, P. Johannesson, E. Perjons, and B. Wangler. Towards a Framework for Comparing Process Modelling Languages, in: Lecture Notes In Computer Science; Vol. 2348. Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Advanced Information Systems Engineering. Pages: 600 – 611, 2001