Towards OpenWorld Software Architectures with Semantic Architectural Styles, Components and Connectors

There is a growing trend to develop open world software with the forthcoming of the pervasive computing era.Traditional research on software architecture, components,and connectors is not geared towards the characteristics of open world software, and are not easily used in open world environments. In this paper, we present an extensible knowledge base called SACoCo (Semantic Architectural styles, Components, and Connectors), by applying Web Ontology Language (OWL) and Semantic Web Rule Language(SWRL) where an Open World Assumption (OWA)is adopted. Runtime validations of component configurations and software architectural styles can be specified with SWRL rules. SACoCo improves the semantics of classical architectural styles, components and connectors, andcan be used to dynamically validate software architectural styles and component configurations. Experiments with a pervasive web service compiler using OSGi and the Repository style show that the knowledge base is effective in improving the semantics of components and connectors, and is effective to validate component configurations and architectural styles, especially in open world environments.