Equivalent Transformations of Heterogeneous Meta-Programs

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Štuikys, Vytautas | Damaševičius, Robertas

Affiliations: Software Engineering Department, Kaunas University of Technology, Studentų 50-415, LT-51368, Kaunas, Lithuania, e-mail: vytautas.stuikys@ktu.lt, robertas.damasevicius@ktu.lt

Abstract: We consider a generalization of heterogeneous meta-programs by (1) introducing an extra level of abstraction within the meta-program structure, and (2) meta-program transformations. We define basic terms, formalize transformation tasks, consider properties of meta-program transformations and rules to manage complexity through the following transformation processes: (1) reverse transformation, when a correct one-stage meta-program M1 is transformed into the equivalent two-stage meta-meta-program M2; (2) two-stage forward transformations, when M2 is transformed into a set of meta-programs, and each meta-program is transformed into a set of target programs. The results are as follows: (a) formalization of the transformation processes within the heterogeneous meta-programming paradigm; (b) introduction and approval of equivalent transformations of meta-programs into meta-meta-programs and vice versa; (c) introduction of metrics to evaluate complexity of meta-specifications. The results are approved by examples, theoretical reasoning and experiments.

Keywords: meta-programming, generalization, transformation, meta-program complexity

Journal: Informatica, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 315-337, 2013