A data-modelling approach to web application synthesis. (29th October 2004)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Di Ruscio, Davide; Muccini, Henry; Pierantonio, Alfonso
• Is Part Of: International journal of Web engineering and technology. Volume 1:Number 3(2004)
• Page Start: 320
• Page End: 337
• Publication Date: 2004-10-29
• Subjects: UML -- internet -- WWW -- data-intensive web applications -- conceptual modelling -- modelling methodologies -- development -- web application design -- XMI interchange formats -- interoperability -- XSL -- data modelling; World Wide Web -- Periodicals; Web site development -- Periodicals; Application software -- Development -- Periodicals; 006.7
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1476-1289

Abstract

Most web applications are data-intensive, i.e. they rely heavily on dynamic contents usually stored in databases. Website design and maintenance can greatly benefit from conceptual descriptions of both data and hypermedia aspects, i.e. those design dimensions which distinguish this application class: the data upon which the content is based, the way dynamic contents are composed together to form pages, and how pages are linked together in order to move across the application content. The paper proposes Webile, a visual Domain-Specific Language based on UML, which enables a model-driven approach to high-level specification of web applications. In contrast with other approaches, Webile exploits the UML meta-model architecture by serialising the specifications in the XMI interchange format. This representation provides interoperability amongst different operative platforms and enables an XSL transformation-based automatic generation of the applications that are being designed.