On the retrieval of reusable software components

Starting from the principle of software reusability through formal specifications, the authors suggest a model for the retrieval of reusable components utilizing the search techniques in database management systems. The formal specification language of software components is ASL. Component specifications will be translated into a specification written in the knowledge representation Telos for storage and other manipulation. The retrieval of software components is based on signature matching between the signatures of goal specifications and those of reusable components. In this way, the authors overcome some of the main problems with respect to retrieval such as representation of reusable components, representation of goal specification, and name differences in the software. The retrieval mechanism is supported by the database management system ConceptBase