Source Code Annotations as Formal Languages

Nosal, Milan; Sulír, Matúš; Juhár, Ján

doi:10.15439/2015f173

Cited by 9 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…We noticed that we can look at source code annotations as a generic purely embedded language 2 for embedding annotation-based language concepts to the host language. As a continuation of our work presented in [32] we now hypothesize that annotations can be effectively used as an implementation technique for language composition (pure embedding in particular). We discuss how annotations provide generic framework for pure embedding [10] with options to provide a custom glue code semantics -the author can specify the meaning of annotations' binding, not only the meaning of annotations themselves.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 82%

“…Using the discovered mapping patterns we showed that annotations and XML can be considered equivalent in terms of their expressibility. Based on our previous work, in the original version of this paper [32] presented at the FedCSIS conference we examined the relationship of annotations and formal languages in general. We hypothesized that there is a correspondence between annotations and conventional formal languages and we have supported the hypothesis by a throughout analysis of annotations from the aspects of concrete syntax (CS), abstract syntax (AS), and semantics.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We will review the correspondence between annotations and formal languages (DSLs in particular), discrepancies between them, and finally we will provide a definition of the annotation-based language. We refer the reader to the conference version of the paper [32] for the more detailed analysis. In this extended version we elaborate on the idea that stemmed from the observed correspondence.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Language composition using source code annotations

2016

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In this paper we examine source code annotations from the viewpoint of formal languages -we discuss their abstract syntax, concrete syntax, and semantics, thus showing the correspondence between annotations and formal languages. We propose to consider a set of all annotations and their parameters processed by the same reference implementation (they belong to the same domain) to be called an annotation-based language. The performed analysis also pinpoints a specificity of annotations in comparison with formal languages in general -the binding between annotations and a host language. We elaborate this idea with an analysis of annotations' potential for language composition, in particular for pure embedding. We then show how pure embedding with annotations can be used for language unification, language referencing by extension, and language extension. This work provides a basis for further research in the field of source code annotations in the context of formal languages.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 82%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Language composition using source code annotations

2016

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“…The case study shows possible challenges of the approach and can be used as a guide to develop similar translators. Presented case study also demonstrates that object-oriented programming language like Java can be successfully used as a format for abstract syntax description, provided that it allows attaching structured meta-data [4] (known as annotations or attributes) to program elements. This allows to use numerous existing tools and also avoids the need for special purpose representations and related technologies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 89%

Development of Human-friendly Notation for XML-based Languages

Chodarev

2016

Annals of Computer Science and Information Systems

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Abstract-XML is a popular choice for development of domain-specific languages. In spite of its popularity, XML is a poor user interface and a lot of languages can be improved by introducing custom notation. This paper presents an approach for development of custom human-friendly notation for existing XML-based language together with a translator between the new notation and XML. This approach is based on explicit representation of language abstract syntax that can be decorated with mappings to both XML and the custom notation. The approach supports iterative design and development of the language concrete syntax, allowing its modification based on users feedback. Development process is demonstrated on a case study of language for definition of graphical user interface layout.

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“…This information is not apparent from this excerpt, and may be the result of cooperation of many remotely related classes. Now suppose the developer originally writing the code, or any other programmer maintaining it, annotated the source code with concern annotations (source code annotations are declarative marks used to decorate source code with metadata [1]), as displayed in Figure 2 a). The developer later reading it would rapidly obtain a mental model containing useful information about the code, without even looking at the method implementation, scrolling through the code to stitch the pieces of information, or even debug it to explain unexpected behavior.…”

Section: Motivationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recording concerns in source code using annotations

Sulír

Nosal

Porubãn

2016

Computer Languages, Systems & Structures

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A concern can be characterized as a developer's intent behind a piece of code, often not explicitly captured in it. We discuss a technique of recording concerns using source code annotations (concern annotations). Using two studies and two controlled experiments, we seek to answer the following 3 research questions: 1) Do programmers' mental models overlap? 2) How do developers use shared concern annotations when they are available? 3) Does using annotations created by others improve program comprehension and maintenance correctness, time and confidence? The first study shows that developers' mental models, recorded using concern annotations, overlap and thus can be shared. The second study shows that shared concern annotations can be used during program comprehension for the following purposes: hypotheses confirmation, feature location, obtaining new knowledge, finding relationships and maintenance notes.The first controlled experiment with students showed that the presence of annotations significantly reduced program comprehension and maintenance time by 34%. The second controlled experiment was a differentiated replication of the first one, focused on industrial developers. It showed a 33% significant improvement in correctness. We conclude that concern annotations are a viable way to share developers' thoughts.

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Source Code Annotations as Formal Languages

Cited by 9 publications

References 25 publications

Language composition using source code annotations

Language composition using source code annotations

Development of Human-friendly Notation for XML-based Languages

Recording concerns in source code using annotations

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