Specification-based retrieval strategies for component architectures

In component-based software development (CBSD) programs are developed by combining reusable library components. Two of the main technical issues that need to be addressed are: locating suitable components in the library (retrieval); and adapting them to solve a specific problem. Intelligent retrieval techniques, based on matching formal specifications (so-called specification matching), have been developed to overcome some of the problems associated with traditional keyword-based retrieval techniques. Also approaches to semi-automating component adaptation have been proposed. These approaches are based on using component wrappers and component architectures for defining adaptation strategies. Such strategies can be represented by generic library templates that are parameterised over higher-order variables (therefore ensuring that they are applicable in a variety of situations). We would like to use existing specification matching techniques to locate suitable library adaptation templates. However, at present these two approaches are not compatible. This is because the current specification matching methods are based on matching first-order component specifications, whereas templates are specified using higher-order logic. In this paper we extend existing specification matching methods to handle higher-order library templates, with a focus on achieving the best possible tradeoff between automatability and precision/recall.