Using domain specific languages to instantiate object-oriented frameworks

Prior research has shown that high levels of software reuse can be achieved through the use of object-oriented frameworks. An object-oriented framework captures the common aspects of a family of applications, thus allowing the designers and implementers to reuse this experience at the design and code levels. In spite of being a powerful design solution, frameworks are not always easy to use. A technique is described that uses domain specific languages (DSL) to describe the framework variation points and therefore syntactically assure the creation of valid framework instances. This approach allows framework users to develop applications without the worry of framework implementation, so allowing them to remain focused on the problem domain. In addition, the use of DSLs allows for better error handling, when compared to the standard approach of adapting frameworks by directly adding subclasses. The DSL programs are translated to the framework instantiation code using a transformational system. The approach is illustrated through two real-world frameworks