Domain-Specific Modelling Languages in Bigraphs

Abstract

Modelling is a ubiquitous activity in human endeavours, and the constructionof informatic models of many kinds is the key to understanding and managing the complexity of an increasingly computational world. We advocate the use of domain-specic modelling languages, instantiated within a \tower" of models, in order to improve the utility of the models we build, and to ease the process of model construction by moving the languages we use to express such models closer to their respective domains. This thesis is concerned with the study of bigraphical reactive systems as a host for domain-specic modelling languages. We present a number of novel technical developments, including a new complete meta-calculus presentation of bigraphical reactive systems, an abstract machine that instantiates to an abstract machine for any instance calculus, and a mechanism for dening declarative sorting predicates that always give rise to wellbehaved sortings. We explore bigraphical renement relations that permit formalisation of the relationship between dierent languages instantiated as bigraphical reactive systems. We detail a prototype verication tool for instance calculi, and provide a tractable heuristic for deciding reaction rule causation. Finally, we provide a mechanism for the modular construction of domain-specic modelling languages as bigraphical reactive systems, exploring the relationship between vertical renement and language specialisation in this setting. The thesis is composed of several publications, augmented with new introductory and background material