MSDeveloper: A Variability-Guided Methodology for Microservice-Based Development

Dolu B. K., Cetinkaya A., Kaya M. Ç., Nazlioglu S., Dogru A. H.

APPLIED SCIENCES, vol.12, no.22, pp.11439-11457, 2022 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 12 Issue: 22
  • Publication Date: 2022
  • Doi Number: 10.3390/app122211439
  • Journal Name: APPLIED SCIENCES
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Aerospace Database, Agricultural & Environmental Science Database, Applied Science & Technology Source, Communication Abstracts, INSPEC, Metadex, Directory of Open Access Journals, Civil Engineering Abstracts
  • Page Numbers: pp.11439-11457
  • Keywords: low-code development, microservices architecture, model-driven engineering, software development, variability modeling, process modeling
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

This article presents a microservice-based development approach, MSDeveloper (Microservices Developer), employing variability management for product configuration through a low-code development environment. The purpose of this approach is to offer a general-purpose environment for the easier development of families of products for different domains: a domain-oriented development environment is suggested, where domain developers and product developers can utilize the environment as a software ecosystem. Thus, genericity is offered through supporting different domains. A domain is populated with feature and process models and microservices in a layered architecture. Feature models drive the product configuration, which affects the process model and the microservice layer. An experimental study was conducted to validate the applicability of the approach and the usability of the development environment. Students from different courses were assigned system modeling projects where they utilized helper tools supporting the provided methodology. Furthermore, professional software developers were consulted about this recommended domain-oriented development environment. Feedback from student projects and professionals’ remarks are analyzed and discussed.