SPLACID: An SPL-Oriented, ACTA-Based, Language for Reusing (Varying) ACID Properties

ACID (Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation and Durability) properties characterize the initial transactional model (TM). Being too restrictive and functionally limited to face the requirements of more recent application domains, the semantics of these properties has been relaxed (weakened) leading to an important set of TMs. Understanding, comparing and synthesizing TMs on the basis of core features and, more specifically, understanding and comparing relaxed ACID properties to be able to reuse them, during the synthesis of TMs, is still an unreached goal. The ACTA framework represented a relevant step towards the achievement of that goal. ACTA, however, as we contribute in highlighting, presents several points of weakness. To contribute in easing the identification and specification of reusable and composable commonalities and variabilities among TMs, we introduce a software product line oriented, ACTA-based, language, called SPLACID. SPLACID is dedicated to the formal specification of TMs in terms of the selection and specialisation of a set of TM standard features. SPLACID promotes reuse and enhance rigor and precision by providing a well structured concrete syntax.