Categorization of approaches to extend and reuse OCL

Abstract

Languages with a fixed set of data types and operations are very useful in formal verification and validation. However, the languages that are most relevant to industrial applications are those that provide extension mechanisms to define new capabilities. For example, Java libraries contribute essentially to the success of Java. In this paper we argue that OCL needs such extension capabilities across tooling boundaries. We describe different approaches of extending languages and elaborate on how such approaches can be applied to OCL. We sketch ideas of such approaches using a well-known OCL tool and suggest changes to the OCL standard to accommodate such approaches. In our opinion, the inclusion of such extension and reusability mechanisms will pave the way for better adoption of OCL in industrial settings and real-world projects.