Static Profiling of Alloy Models

Modeling of software-intensive systems using formal declarative modeling languages offers a means managing software complexity through the use abstraction and early identification correctness issues by analysis. Alloy is one such language used for in development process. Little work has been done to study styles techniques commonly models. We present first static analysis investigate research questions that examine large corpus 1,652 To evaluate these questions, we create methodology leverages power ANTLR pattern matching query XPath. Our are split into two categories depending on their purpose. The Model Characteristics category aims identify what constructs commonly. Practices considerably more complex xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">how modelers Alloy's constructs. also our subset models from written expert modelers. compare results obtained general gain insight how language. draw conclusions findings actionable items educators, environment designers, tool developers. Actionable educators intended highlight underutilized features, help student avoid discouraged practices. aimed at designers ways improve adding or removing unused ones based trends identified address features facilitate model creation. developers provide suggestions back-end optimizations.