Using deductive databases to facilitate the maintenance process

This paper focuses on how the novel integration of intermodule code analysis (IMCA) and deductive database (DD) technology facilitates program understanding and the software maintenance process. Specifically, we describe the implementation of IMCA for the object-based language Ada using the CORAL deductive database system. Since we have future plans to look at other languages and emerging database technologies, we call this implementation IMCA/sub DD//sup Ada/. Specifically, we describe in more detail the architectural issues of IMCA/sub DD//sup Ada/ and its implementation in the CORAL deductive database system, including the detailed schema of the facts and rules. A non-trivial code analysers example illustrates how the flexibility and extendibility of IMCA/sub DD//sup Ada/ facilitates the maintenance process, highlighting the advantages offered by the declarative technology.<
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