The Model-Driven Architecture (MDA) is a software design approach, proposed and sponsored by the Object Management Group. MDA is intended to support model-driven engineering of software systems. The MDA is an architecture that provides a set of guidelines for structuring specifications expressed as models. Using the MDA methodology, system functionality may first be defined as a platform-independent model (PIM) through an appropriate Domain Specific Language. Given a Platform Definition Model (PDM) corresponding to CORBA, DotNet, the Web, etc., the PIM may then be translated to one or more platform-specific models (PSMs) for the actual implementation, using different Domain Specific Languages, or a General Purpose Language like Java, C#, Python, etc. The translations between the PIM and PSMs are normally performed using automated tools, like Model transformation tools, for example tools compliant to the new OMG standard named QVT. The overall process is documented in a document produced and regularly maintained by the OMG and called the MDA Guide. The principles of MDA can also be applied to other areas like business process modeling where the architecture and technology neutral PIM is mapped onto either system or manual processes.

The MDA model is related to multiple standards, including the Unified Modeling Language (UML), the Meta-Object Facility (MOF), the XML Metadata interchange (XMI), Enterprise Distributed Object Computing (EDOC), the Software Process Engineering Metamodel (SPEM), and the Common Warehouse Metamodel (CWM). Note that the term “architecture” in metamodeling does not refer to the architecture of the system being modeled, but rather to the architecture of the various standards and model forms that serve as the technology basis for MDA.

The Object Management Group holds trademarks on MDA, as well as several similar terms including Model Driven Development (MDD), Model Driven Application Development, Model Based Application Development, Model Based Programming, and others. The main acronym that has not yet been deposited by OMG until now is MDE. As a consequence, the MDE acronym is used by the international research community when they want to refer to general model engineering ideas, without committing to strict OMG standards.

MDA approach

One of the main aims of the MDA is to separate design from architecture and realization technologies facilitating that design and architecture can alter independently. The design addresses the functional (use case) requirements while architecture provides the infrastructure through which non-functional requirements like scaleability, reliability and performance are realized. MDA envisages that the platform independent model (PIM), which represents a conceptual design realizing the functional requirements, will survive changes in realization technologies and software architectures.

Of particular importance to model-driven architecture is the notion of model transformation. A specific standard for model transformation has been defined called QVT. One example of a QVT language for model transformation is ATL.

MDA tools

A range of MDA-supporting tools are being developed by vendors and open source projects. These tools typically enable one to provide a rudimentary architecture specification. Simple examples of architecture specifications include

• selecting one of a number of supported reference architectures like Java EE or Microsoft .NET,
• specifying the architecture at a finer level including the choice of presentation layer technology, business logic layer technology, persistence technology and persistence mapping technology (e.g. object-relational mapper).

Conferences

Among the various conferences on this topic we may mention ECMDA, the European Conference on MDA and also MoDELS, former firmed as <> conference series (till 2004). There are also several conferences and workshops (at OOPSLA, ECOOP a.s.o.) focusing on more specific aspects of MDA like model transformation, model composition, and generation.

See also

• Metamodel
• Metamodeling
• Meta-Object Facility
• Software factory
• code generation
• Acceleo
• QVT
• ATL
• Generic Modeling Environment
• Graphical Modeling Framework
• Model-driven development
• MTL
• Model Driven Engineering (MDE)
• PIM
• PSM
• Executable UML

References

• MDA Distilled, Principles of Model Driven Architecture, Stephen Mellor, Kendall Scott, Axel Uhl, Dirk Weise, Addison-Wesley Professional, 2004, ISBN 0201788918
• The MDA Journal: Model Driven Architecture Straight From The Masters, Meghan Kiffer, ISBN 0929652258
• Model Driven Architecture, Springer-Verlag, ISBN 3-540-28240-8
• Model Driven Architecture: Applying MDA to Enterprise Computing, David S. Frankel, John Wiley & Sons, ISBN 0-471-31920-1
• Model Driven Architecture With Executable UML, Chris Raistrick, Paul Francis, John Wright, Colin Carter, Ian Wilkie Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-53771-1

External links

• The official MDA Guide Version 1.0.1
• OMG's MDA Web site
• An Introduction to Model Driven Architecture at ibm.com
• OMG's list of MDA tools and products
• Domain-Specific Modeling and Model Driven Architecture by Steve Cook
• Planet MDE's list of MDA tools

Software engineering | Data engineering | Systems engineering | Domain-specific programming languages | Unified Modeling Language

Model Driven Architecture | Model Driven Architecture | Model driven architecture | Model-driven architecture | Model Driven Architecture | 模型驱动架构