ciFeature: A context-independent feature-oriented software development approach

FOSD is the major paradigm in developing SPLs and its main goal is to increase reusability. Most the current FOSD approaches are tool or language dependent, and are not software development context independent. In this paper, we propose a FOSD approach to develop context independent features, called ciFeature. Our method is based on treating features as semi-citizen concepts in the language and using a simple model which could be implemented in any object-oriented language, so that features are decoupled from their contexts. In addition to decoupling of features from tools or languages which are developed them, developing context independent features will result in the features became decouple from the base code, what the refinement approaches suffer from it. Our approach will increase reusability by its flexible composition and configuration mechanism, so that the reusability will be achieved at Feature, Feature Part and the base code levels. Reaching these reusability levels is available thanks to supporting fine-grained and coarsegrained granularity in parallel throughout our approach. Finally developing context independent features will help developers to enjoy FOSD while they don´t have to migrate and adapt to the new languages, language extensions or working using new tools.