Adding variants on-the-fly: Modeling meta-variability in dynamic software product lines
Alexander Helleboogh, Danny Weyns, Klaus Schmid, Tom Holvoet, Kurt Schelfthout, Wim Van Betsbrugge · Lirias · 2009
Dynamic software product lines (DSPL) are software product lines (SPL) that support runtime variability. Runtime variability is typically interpreted as binding variation points at runtime. We emphasize meta-variability as an important dimension of runtime variability in DSPL. Whereas dynamic binding considers the runtime (de)activation of variants within the scope of a given variability model, meta-variability considers runtime changes to the variability model itself. Meta-variability is essential to support long-lived software products that are subject to evolution. In this paper, we consider meta-variability in an industrial DSPL that is developed in a joint project with Egemin N.V., a leading company that provides full life cycle support for automated transportation systems (ATS). The contribution of this paper is threefold. First, we introduce a way to model meta-variability in DSPL in an explicit manner. Second, we put forward a meta-variability meta model that extends the variability meta model with concepts that explicitly support meta-variability. Third, we capture and apply meta- variability in an industrial DSPL for automated transportation systems.