Combining feature modeling and Object Oriented concepts to manage the software variability

Feature modeling is a key technique for capturing and explicit documenting the software product line variability. Object Oriented (00) concepts have been frequently used to encapsulate and reuse software resources in large scale systems. To improve the possibilities of combination and derivation between distinct feature models, this paper defines the Object Oriented Feature Modeling (OOFM) approach. It is a combination of Object Oriented concepts and Feature Modeling techniques that allows the declaration of feature classes and its derivation methods, and the instantiation of feature objects with their encapsulated informations. As a result, the integration and the production of multiple product lines, by the definition of feature frameworks, combining distinct feature classes according to the domain interest, can be applied.