Decision points for non-determinism in concurrent model synchronization with triple graph grammars

Abstract

Model synchronization is one of the core activities in model driven engineering. One of the challenges is non-determinism when multiple valid solutions exist. This is exasperated in triple graph based approaches, where additional non-determinism may arise from the alignment of the synchronized changes and the grammar. Non-determinism is often the result of multiple decision points during the synchronization process. Handling these decisions where they occur can reduce the overall complexity of dealing with non-determinism. In this paper we analyse a triple graph based synchronization approach to identify these decisions, extend the approach to clearly separate them and discuss the relation to formal properties of model synchronization.