GRACE TECHNICAL REPORTS An Algebraic Approach to Bidirectional Model Transformation

Bidirectional model transformation plays an important role in maintaining consistency between two models, and has many potential applications in software development, including model synchronization, round-trip engineering, software evolution, multiple-view software development, and reverse engineering. However, unclear bidirectional semantics, weak bidirectionalization method, and lack of systematic development framework are known problems that prevent it from being practically used. To remedy this situation, in this paper, we propose a novel algebraic framework for bidirectional model transformation, by integrating the state-of-the-art technologies on bidirectional tree transformations and algebraic graph querying. We make a significant extension from bidirectional tree transformation to bidirectional graph transformation, and give a powerful automatic bidirectionalization method to derive a backward graph transformation from a forward graph transformation. Moreover, we demonstrate how our algebraic framework can support systematic development of efficient large-scale bidirectional model transformations in a compositional manner. Our experimental results show promise of the new approach.