Context-driven composition for mobile applications: a metamodelling approach. (2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Djeddar, Afrah; Bendjenna, Hakim; Amirat, Abdelkrim; Roose, Philippe; Chung, Lawrence
• Is Part Of: International journal of embedded systems. Volume 9:Number 6(2017)
• Page Start: 505
• Page End: 522
• Publication Date: 2017
• Subjects: composition -- mobile app -- reusing software entities -- heterogeneity -- context-aware -- metamodelling; Embedded computer systems -- Periodicals; 004.16
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1741-1068

Abstract

Nowadays, the numbers of mobile applications (apps) is undeniably explosive. This phenomenon is likely to encourage the user to expect more or less the same app to be available on just about any kind of platforms, even when there are differences in the apps that run on such platforms. In order to better fulfil user's expectations, understanding such differences - or heterogeneities - then becomes critical, as does resolving them, but is quite challenging. In this paper, we propose a technique for developing mobile device apps, through composition of existing homogeneous or heterogeneous software entities that are context-aware. As a key novelty, this technique uses a metamodelling approach in understanding and representing the differences, as well as commonalities, between reused software entities. In order to see the applicability and the effectiveness of this technique, a tool has been implemented to date, together with an application to a shop review app.