Tools for MDA Software Development: Evaluation Criteria and Set of Desirable Features

Model Driven Architecture (MDA) is a new approach to software development that moves standard code- centric software development to model-centric software development. The basic idea is to specify system functionality with a platform independent model and then translate this model into platform specific model(s) and fully executable source code. MDA provides interoperability capabilities between different technologies, simplifies the work of software engineers, reduces software development costs, and supports adaptation to rapid changes in technology. Based on the development of a software application, a Glossary Management Tool, this paper proposes an evaluation framework for MDA tools and outlines with a set of software requirements the ";portrait"; of an ideal MDA tool.