Exploring textual modeling using the Umple language

Abstract

The purpose of our research is to explore the advantages and disadvantages of textual modeling in software engineering, as compared to the traditional graphical modeling languages. A cornerstone of our work has been the development of a text-based modeling language called Umple. Umple has a similar syntax to Java, but it has been enhanced with additional modeling constructs (associations, software patterns, etc.). Umple has the ability to produce working systems by providing a translation into existing object-oriented programming languages (such as Java), and it can also be represented diagrammatically in UML. Graphical modeling languages have been developed and improved over many years of research. These languages allow software designers and architects to view systems from an abstract and high-level point of view. By using graphical modeling languages we abstract away much of the detail of the implementation of a design, and the process of building large and complex systems is simplified. Programming languages, on the other hand, are used for fine-grained views of the system, incorporating algorithms, conditions and constraints; in addition to the high-level components (such as classes) which could have been specified using a graphical modeling language as described above. The separation between the high-level and fine-grained abstractions results in Software Modeling and Software Construction as two separate tasks in the development lifecycle. This research explores ways to reduce complexity and increase the quality of software systems, as well as increase the speed with which systems can be generated, maintained or comprehended.