A behavior-based classification and retrieval technique for object-oriented specification reuse

This paper presents a classification and retrieval technique for object-oriented specification reuse, based on the assumption that existing specifications exhibiting behaviors similar to that of the system under development are appropriate for reuse. Existing specifications are classified and retrieved according to the semantic networks abstracted from their behaviors. Since semantic networks attach semantic meanings to certain degrees of detail, our technique is rather precise. Primary behavior is used to classify specifications because it can be obtained in the early phases of system analysis. Therefore, our technique allows early reuse. Moreover, subspecifications and classes of existing specifications are classified independently so that they can be retrieved for reuse separately. Thus, our technique encourages reusing subspecifications as well as classes. Since a subspecification is composed of classes and their relationships, reusing it corresponds to reusing all those classes and relationships, A technique that reuses subspecifications as well as classes is thus expected to save more time than those that reuse only classes.