Towards portable source code representations using XML

Abstract

One of the most important issues in source code analysis and software re-engineering is the representation of software code text at an abstraction level and form suitable for algorithmic processing. However, source code representation schemes must be compact, accessible by well defined application programming interfaces (APIs) and above all portable to different operating platforms and various CASE tools. This paper proposes a program representation technique that is based on language domain modes and the XML markup language. In this context, source code is represented as XML DOM trees that offer a higher level of openness and portability than custom-made tool specific abstract syntax trees. The DOM trees can be exchanged between tools in textual or binary form. Similarly the domain model allows for language entities to be associated with analysis services offered by various CASE tools, leading to an integrated software maintenance environment.