Synergy between generative reuse and software product line

Abstract

Software reuse through concrete component library has a strong support for component composition, refinement and specialization. Despite of the library’s support, scalability problem occur in its implementation. Amongst the problem being reported were feature combinatorics problem, vertical and also horizontal scaling of the components. Generative reuse is an approach in software reuse where it combines reusable part that are not only code but also generic architectures and variations of components for future customization. Generative reuse via application generator is cost effective to build when many similar software systems are written or when evolution of software requires the software to be written and rewritten many times during its lifetime. Software Product Line is a suitable field to implement application generator where it can help to generate similar systems and also customize variations needed to the systems functionalities. This paper briefly discusses the issues in generative reuse via application generator and software product line. The main contribution of this paper is in the explicit mapping between generative reuse specifically the development process of application generator with the Software Product Line systematic reuse process. This explicit mapping shows several points of synergistic process between both fields. This mapping can also help designer and organization who are interested in the development of application generator in software product line to know the underlying process and artifacts for both fields.