Adding Variants On-The-Fly: Modeling Meta-Variability in Dynamic Software Product Lines

Dynamic Software Product Lines (DSPL) are Software Product Lines (SPL) that support Run-time variability. Run-time variability is typically interpreted as binding variation points at Run-time. The authors emphasize meta-variability as an important dimension of Run-time variability in DSPL. Whereas dynamic binding considers the Run-time (de)activation of variants within the scope of a given variability model, meta-variability considers Run-time changes to the variability model itself. Meta-variability is essential to support long-lived software products that are subject to evolution. In this paper, they consider meta-variability in an industrial DSPL that is developed in a joint project with Egemin N.V., a leading company that provides full life cycle support for Automated Transportation Systems (ATS).