QVT-based model transformation using XSLT

Abstract

Model transformations are one of the key technologies in modelbased development. The graphical notation of relational QVT provides a concise, intuitive way to specify transformations. But this notation is not directly applicable for practitioners because of the lack of tool support. On the other hand, XSLT is a common and powerful language for XML transformations, but not suitable for directly programming transformations of semantically complex models due to its low level syntax. We combine the best of both techniques by using QVT graphical notation to specify a transformation as a set of QVT relations, and implementing each relation as an XSLT rule template. A prototype tool with a QVT graphical editor and an automatic XSLT program generator has been developed to support the approach.