Prototyping the Semantics of a DSL using ASF+SDF: Link to Formal Verification of DSL Models

TL;DR

This paper presents a prototype for defining the semantics of a DSL for concurrent systems using ASF+SDF, enabling transformation of models into labeled transition systems for verification and visualization.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach to formalize DSL semantics and implement a prototype using ASF+SDF for model transformation and verification.

Findings

Models can be transformed into LTSs with minimal effort

The prototype enables visualization and verification of DSL models

Efficient transformation without additional pre/post processing

Abstract

A formal definition of the semantics of a domain-specific language (DSL) is a key prerequisite for the verification of the correctness of models specified using such a DSL and of transformations applied to these models. For this reason, we implemented a prototype of the semantics of a DSL for the specification of systems consisting of concurrent, communicating objects. Using this prototype, models specified in the DSL can be transformed to labeled transition systems (LTS). This approach of transforming models to LTSs allows us to apply existing tools for visualization and verification to models with little or no further effort. The prototype is implemented using the ASF+SDF Meta-Environment, an IDE for the algebraic specification language ASF+SDF, which offers efficient execution of the transformation as well as the ability to read models and produce LTSs without any additional pre or post processing.