ViSiDiA: A Java Framework for Designing, Simulating, and Visualizing Distributed Algorithms

Simulation tools are useful for detailed analysis of distributed systems that are increasingly present in our daily lives. ViSiDiA (Visualization and Simulation of Distributed Algorithms) is a platform that aims both to facilitate teaching distributed algorithms and to contribute to the research activities. This paper presents design features and examples of how to implement new ViSiDiA´s algorithms. These implementations can be done using the Java language or by using the ViSiDiA´s GUI (just drawing the relabelling rules that correspond to considered algorithm). We also present a more complex problem for which ViSiDiA served as a simulation and analysis tool.