The Software Composition Group conducts research into tools, techniques and methods for constructing flexible software systems from components.

Currently funded projects and research collaborations

• Agile Software Analysis (SNSF) — Jan. 2016-Dec. 2018
• Software Evolution Working Group (ERCIM) — started Oct. 2004

Current research activities

• Big Software Data — analyzing software at the largest scale
• Architectural Monitoring — improve the specification and verification of architectural constraints
• Parsing Technology
  • PetitParser Compiler — a framework for faster PetitParser
• Moldable Development Tools
  • The "Moldable Debugger" — a framework for developing domain-specific debuggers
  • The "Moldable Inspector" — high-level ways to visualize and explore objects
  • The "Moldable Spotter" — a unified search interface for IDEs
• DoodleDebug — simply visualizing Java objects
• Moose — A platform for software and data analysis
  • Moose JEE — A Moose extension for Java Enterprise Applications
• Softwarenaut — a visual, interactive architecture recovery tool
• Pangea — infrastructure for statically analysing software corpora.
• Freq — An augmentation of method seeking tools for faster method seeking
• EATI — Ecosystem Aware Type Inference prototype implementation for Pharo smalltalk
• Zeeguu - Ubiquitious Second Language Acquisition
• Explora — a visualisation tool for the analysis of multiple metrics of software corpora
• CommunityExplorer — a visualisation framework for the analysis of collaboration networks
• MetaVis — an explorer of actionable visualisation
• MediaVis — on the impact of the medium in the effectiveness of software visualizations

Completed research activities

• ByteSurgeon — Runtime bytecode transformation for smalltalk
• Bifröst — Unifies the base-level and the meta-level
  • Chameleon — Decoupled instrumentation technique
  • MetaSpy — Domain-specific profilers
  • Object-Centric Debugging — Object-centric debugging
  • Prisma — Reflect as you go, dynamic scopes.
  • Talents — Dynamically composable units of reuse
  • Scoped Talents —
• Changeboxes — Modeling change as a first-class entity
• Classboxes — A minimal module model supporting local rebinding
• Contexts — Temporal, active and structural variability with context objects
  • Theseus — Dynamically updating servers without restarting
  • Dynamic Ownership — Scaling encapsulation from objects to aggregates
  • Delegation Proxies — Building blocks to implement active variability
• Helvetia — Context specific language integration
  • Language Boxes — Bending Syntax and Semantics of the Host Language
  • PetitParser — Practical Dynamic Grammars for Dynamic Languages
• Hermion — Enhanced IDE for Smalltalk
• JExample — Unit tests should depend on each other
• Object Flow — Tracking the flow of objects at runtime
• Pharogenesis — Building the version history in Pharo and Squeak
• Piccola — a small composition language
• Pinocchio — An open system for language experimentation
• Reflectivity — Sub-method reflection for Smalltalk
• SCodeBubbles — exploring CodeBubbles for Smalltalk
• Senseo — Integrating dynamic metrics in Eclipse
• Software Cartography — Your roadmap to software!
• Subjectopia — A unified subjectivity model
• TextLint — Natural Language Checking
• Traits — Composable units of behavior

Completed research projects

• Agile Software Assessment (SNSF) — Jan. 2013-Dec. 2015
• Synchronizing Models and Code (SNSF) — Oct. 2010-Dec. 2012
• Bringing Models Closer to Code (SNSF) — Oct. 2008-Sept. 2010
• Enabling the evolution of J2EE applications through reverse engineering and quality assurance (Hasler Foundation) — Oct. 2008-Sept. 2010
• Analyzing, Capturing and Taming Software Change (SNSF) — Oct. 2006-Sept. 2008
• NOREX — Network of Reengineering Expertise — SCOPES Project (SNSF) — Nov. 2005 - Oct. 2007
• A Unified Approach to Composition and Extensibility (SNSF) — Oct. 2004-Sept. 2006
• RECAST: Evolution of Object-Oriented Applications (SNSF) — Sept. 2002-Aug. 2006
• Foundations of Software Evolution (FWO Research Network) — January 2001 - December 2005
• Traits in C# (Microsoft Research) — March 2004 - Sept. 2005
• Release network (ESF) — July 2002 - Sept. 2005
• Tools and Techniques for Decomposing and Composing Software (SNSF) — Oct. 2002-Sept. 2004
• Meta-models and Tools for Evolution Towards Component Systems (SNSF) — Oct. 2000 - Sept. 2002
• Pervasive Component Systems (PECOS) — Oct. 2000 - Sept. 2002
• A Framework Approach to Composing Heterogeneous Applications (SNSF) — Oct. 1998 - Sept. 2000
• Coordina (Coordination models and languages) — Aug. 1997 - Aug. 2000
• FAMOOS — Sept. 1996 - Dec. 1999.
• Infrastructure for Software Component Frameworks (SNSF) — Oct. 1996 - Sept. 1998
• Composing Active Objects (SNSF) — Oct. 1994 - Sept. 1996