Algebraic Framework for Reverse Engineering on Specifications

This paper focuses on the problem of providing a well founded framework to make possible the reverse engineering on algebraic specifications. The paper considers existing and well-accepted formalizations for operations to compose specifications and propose a categorical formalization to operations to break specifications. The concept of categorical limit is adopted, and categorical equalizers are proposed to formalize operations to hide components of specifications. The proposed formalizations complete an algebraic framework that makes possible the manipulation of specifications, composing and decomposing old specifications in order to obtain a better use of existing specification.