In this paper we present MicroBuilder, the tool used for the specification of a software architecture that follows REST microservice design principles. MicroBuilder comprises MicroDSL and MicroGenerator modules. The MicroDSL module provides the MicroDSL domain-specific language used for the specification of REST microservice software architecture. In this paper we present MicroDSL meta-model, specified in Ecore, together with textual and graphical concrete syntaxes, specified using Xtext and Sirius frameworks respectively. The MicroGenerator module is used to generate executable program code based on MicroDSL specification. In this paper we also present results of the MicroBuilder tool evaluation, alongside the case study which illustrates a usage of MicroBuilder.

Industry 4.0 aims to establish highly flexible production, enabling effective and efficient mass customisation of products. Modelling techniques and simulation of production processes are among the core techniques of the manufacturing industry that facilitate flexibility and automation of a shop floor in the era of Industry 4.0. In this paper, we present an approach to support production process modelling and process model management. The approach is based on Model-Driven (MD) principles and comprises a Domain-Specific Modelling Language (DSML) named Multi-Level Production Process Modelling Language (MultiProLan). MultiProLan uses a set of concepts to specify production process models suitable for automatic instruction generation and execution of the instructions in a simulation or on a shop floor. By using MultiProLan, process designers may create process models independent of the specific production system. Such process models can either be automatically enriched by matching and scheduling algorithms or manually enriched by a process designer via MultiProLan’s modelling tool. In this paper, we also present an application of our approach in the assembly industry to showcase its dynamic resource management, generation of production documentation, error handling and process monitoring.

A selection of Computer Science, Informatics or similar study programs for academic studies evidently becomes an emerging choice of a vast number of students in recent years. To address some of the open questions, we performed an 25 empirical study based on a survey, with a goal to find out the main motivating fac tors directing students to select computer science, informatics or similar programs for studying in a much greater extent. The survey was conducted on a sample of 1517 students from five well established, and most traditional faculties of computer science and informatics at three largest university cities in Serbia: Belgrade, Novi Sad, and Nisˇ. The created sample is representative enough to illustrate the current situation and trends common for many similar societies. Our first analyses show that the main motivating factor to select computer science or informatics study program at all faculties is a students’ motivation to study just that topic, while at management faculty it is significantly less important. However, we also noticed that significant number of students wished to study something else but chose computer science and informatics due to possibility of finding jobs easier and of earning higher salaries in industry. The most important influential factors to choose a computer science or informatics major come from family members, and close relatives. The perceived brand and reputation of a faculty also plays a significant role. Students being examined prevalently tend to be satisfied with the faculty they have chosen. However, many of them see themselves leaving the country in a near or far future.

Technological advances and increasing customer need for highly customized products have triggered a fourth industrial revolution. A digital revolution in the manufacturing industry is enforced by introducing smart devices and knowledge bases to form intelligent manufacturing information systems. One of the goals of the digital revolution is to allow flexibility of smart factories by automating shop floor changes based on the changes in input production processes and ordered products. In order to make this possible, a formal language to describe production processes is needed, together with a code generator for its models and an engine to execute the code on smart devices. Existing process modeling languages are not usually tailored to model production processes, especially if models are needed for automatic code generation. In this paper we propose a research on Industry 4.0 manufacturing using a Domain-Specific Modeling Language (DSML) within a Model-Driven Software Development (MDSD) approach to model production processes. The models would be used to generate instructions to smart devices and human workers, and gather a feedback from them during the process execution. A pilot comparative analysis of three modeling languages that are commonly used for process modeling is given with the goal of identifying supported modeling concepts, good practices and usage patterns.

Many software engineering activities entail dealing with legacy information systems. When these systems become too costly to maintain, or when new technologies need to be incorporated, they need to be replaced or somehow reengineered. This can be done with significantly reduced amount of effort and cost if the conceptual models of these systems are available. Reverse engineering is the process of analyzing a subject system to create representations of the system at a higher level of abstraction. Relational databases are a common source of reverse engineering. Starting from a physical database schema, that is recorded into relational database schema data repository, the conceptual database schema or logical database schema could be extracted. The extraction process may be seen as a chain of model-to-model transformations that trace model elements from a model at the lower level of abstraction to a model at the higher level of abstraction, achieved through meta-modeling. In the paper we present generic and standard database constraint meta-models, focusing on multi-relational database constraints captured in a legacy database. These meta-models are aimed at support of model transformations to create conceptual models, as a useful source for the system reengineering process.

In this paper, we present an approach to development and application of domain-specific modeling (DSM) tools in the model-based management of business processes. The level of Model-to-Text (M2T) transformations in the standard architecture for domain-specific modeling solutions is extended with action reports, which allow synchronization between models, generated code, and target interpreters. The basic idea behind the approach is to use M2T transformation languages to construct submodels, client application components, and operations on target interpreters. In this manner, M2T transformations may be employed to support not only generation of target platform code from domain-specific graphical language (DSGL) models but also straightforward use of models and appropriate DSM tools as client applications. The applicability of action reports is demonstrated by examples from document engineering, and measurement and control systems.