Taming Multi-Variability of Software Product Line Transformations

Software product lines continuously undergo model transformations, such as refactorings, refinements, and translations. In product line transformations, the dedicated management of variability can help to control complexity and to benefit maintenance and performance. However, since no existing approach is geared for situations in which both the product line and the transformation specification are affected by variability, substantial maintenance and performance obstacles remain. In this paper, we introduce a methodology that addresses such multi-variability situations. We propose to manage variability in product lines and rule-based transformations consistently by using annotative variability mechanisms. We present a staged rule application technique for applying a variability-intensive transformation to a product line. This technique enables considerable performance benefits, as it avoids enumerating products or rules upfront. We prove the correctness of our technique and show its ability to improve performance in a software engineering scenario.