Software Frameworks for Model Composition

Table 1

Framework types summary; adapted and updated from [11].

Framework type	Components	Composition mechanism
Common library	Models implemented as software modules	Component interfaces defined by components or framework; components linked into common executable; data exchanged via method calls
Product line architecture	Software modules	Component interfaces defined by framework; components linked into common executable; data exchanged via method calls
Interoperability protocol	Independent executable	Components execute independently as separate processes; data exchanged via network messages
Object model	Conceptual model	None; connection depends on mapping and implementing conceptual module within another framework
Formal	Formal model	Interpreter for formal models
Integrative environment	Model implemented as file, spreadsheet, or software module	Components “wrapped” with special interface software; components linked into common executable; data exchanged via method calls