A framework for classifying and comparing architecture description languages

TLDR

Software architectures shift focus to high‑level elements, and ADLs were proposed as modeling notations, yet consensus on their definition, scope, and suitability remains elusive, with little distinction made from other specification and programming languages. The paper seeks to answer these questions by clarifying what constitutes an ADL and how it should be applied. The authors motivate and present a definition and classification framework for ADLs, then use it to classify and compare several existing ADLs. The definition proves useful by distinguishing ADLs from other modeling notations.

Abstract

Software architectures shift developers' focus from lines-of-code to coarser-grained architectural elements and their interconnection structure. Architecture description languages (ADLs) have been proposed as modeling notations to support architecture-based development. There is, however, little consensus in the research community on what is an ADL, what aspects of an architecture should be modeled in an ADL, and which ADL is best suited for a particular problem. Furthermore, the distinction is rarely made between ADLs on one hand and formal specification, module interconnection, simulation, and programming languages on the other. This paper attempts to provide an answer to these questions. It motivates and presents a definition and a classification framework for ADLs. The utility of the definition is demonstrated by using it to differentiate ADLs from other modeling notations. The framework is used to classify and compare several existing ADLs.