Lessons Learned from Developing the MontiCore Language Workbench: Challenges of Modular Language Design
In software language engineering, composition and modular design are essential milestones to advance reuse in this domain. Although language engineering improves quality and development efficiency by incorporating reusable components and tooling, some disadvantages and limitations can inhibit sophisticated language development. Current research usually focuses on the conceptual advantages but neglects the often technical drawbacks resulting from the necessity for complex interactions for seamless integration. In this paper, we report on our experiences applying language composition with the language workbench MontiCore and elaborate on the conceptual and technical drawbacks of the intended compositional tooling. Using concise application examples, we demonstrate the challenges of a compositional parser, the complexity of the generated infrastructure, and how they scrape the limits of the underlying target programming languages and their compilers. This critical examination of the implications of modular language construction demonstrates the pitfalls of language composition in the large and should reveal potential for future research.
Thu 12 JunDisplayed time zone: Amsterdam, Berlin, Bern, Rome, Stockholm, Vienna change
15:30 - 17:00 | SLE Session 3: Language WorkbenchesSLE 2025 at M 001 Chair(s): Jeff Smits Delft University of Technology | ||
15:30 25mTalk | Lessons Learned from Developing the MontiCore Language Workbench: Challenges of Modular Language Design SLE 2025 Alex Lüpges RWTH Aachen, Nico Jansen Software Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Bernhard Rumpe RWTH Aachen University | ||
15:55 20mTalk | Integrating Model Checking into a Live Modeling Environment SLE 2025 Joeri Exelmans , Ciprian Teodorov ENSTA Bretagne, Hans Vangheluwe University of Antwerp and Flanders Make | ||
16:15 15mAwards | SLE Awards SLE 2025 S: Eric Van Wyk University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Marjan Mernik University of Maribor, P: Regina Hebig Universität Rostock, Rostock, Germany, P: Vadim Zaytsev University of Twente | ||
16:30 30mTalk | SLE MIP Talk SLE 2025 |