Content-based search of model repositories with graph matching techniques

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Abstract

Modern software project repositories provide support for both source code and design models that describe in details the data structure, behavior, and components of an application. We propose a graph matching-based technique between software models to address content-based query (a.k.a., query by example) on project repositories so as to retrieve significant model fragments for reuse. This can be extremely valuable in a scenario where the designer has a rough idea of the model or pattern he needs, he quickly sketches a coarse schema, and wants to retrieve projects that contain matching patterns (with all the details in place). Our approach encompasses the transformation of models into suitable graphs, the definition of a similarity function and an implementation within a search engine platform. In this paper we present the graph matching approach of the query model against the model repository and we evaluate different configurations of the similarity function.