Towards a recipe for language decomposition: quality assessment of language product lines

Abstract Programming languages are complex systems that usually implemented as monolithic interpreters and compilers. In recent years, researchers practitioners gained interest in product line engineering to improve the reusability of language assets management variability-rich systems, introducing notions workbenches lines (LPLs). Nonetheless, development remains a activity design or implementation flaws can easily waste efforts decomposing specification into features. Poorly designed decompositions result high inter-dependent components, reducing variability space LPL system its maintainability. One should detect fix posthaste prevent these risks while minimizing overhead. Therefore, various aspects quality decomposition be quantitatively measurable through adequate metrics. The evaluation, analysis feedback measures primary part process LPL. this paper, we present an exploratory study trying capture by methodology for LPLs; define properties good adapt set metrics from literature framework workbenches. Moreover, leverage environment perform empirical evaluation 26 -based LPLs based on methodology. Our contributions form foundations LPLs. This is comprised four different elements: i) defines order which decisions made, ii) integrated designers iii) some best practices well-structured when using , supported iv) variety used errors decisions.