On the retrieval of reusable software components

Starting from the principle of software reusability through formal speciications we suggest a model for the retrieval of reusable components utilizing the search techniques in database management systems. The formal speciication language of software components is ASL. Component speciications will be translated into a speciication written in the knowledge representation language Telos for storage and other manipulation. The retrieval of software components is based on signature matching between the signatures of goal speciications and those of reusable components. In this way, we overcome some of the main problems with respect to retrieval such as representation of reusable components, representation of goal speciication, and name diierences in the software.