Creating Python-Style Domain Specific Languages: A Semi-Automated Approach and Intermediate Results
Paper in proceeding, 2023

Xtext is a well-known domain-specific language design framework and technology. It automatically generates a textual grammar for a language, given a meta-model specified in Ecore. These generated textual grammars are typically not user-friendly. Python-style languages are popular among developers for their usability and conciseness. We aim to propose a systematic approach to transform a DSL with a generated grammar into a Python-style DSL. To achieve this, we analyze the problems of grammars generated with Xtext, based on a lightweight architecture description language. In response to these problems, we propose a general semi-automated grammar adaptation approach. We apply the approach to two other DSLs to validate the generalization of the approach. We also discuss the limitations of this approach and prospects for the future.

Textual Modeling

DSL

Grammar

Language Engineering

Xtext

Author

Weixing Zhang

University of Gothenburg

Regina Hebig

University of Gothenburg

Jan-Philipp Steghöfer

XITASO GmbH IT Software Solutions

Jörg Holtmann

University of Gothenburg

Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Model-Based Software and Systems Engineering

2184-4348 (ISSN)

Vol. 1 210-217
978-989-758-633-0 (ISBN)

11th International Conference on Model-Based Software and Systems Engineering
Lisbon, Portugal,

Blended Modelling for Enhanced Software and Systems Engineering

ITEA, 2019-11-01 -- 2023-03-31.

Subject Categories

Language Technology (Computational Linguistics)

Embedded Systems

Computer Science

DOI

10.5220/0000170800003402

More information

Latest update

1/4/2024 3