Towards a Formal Behavioral Semantics for UML Interactions

UML interaction diagrams are important in effectively modeling complex system behaviors. But its lack of formal semantics makes it difficult for practitioners to analyze and validate the built model. In this paper, we present a formal behavioral semantics for UML Interactions based on CSP (communicating and sequential processes).The semantics is defined denotationally through semantic mapping specified using QVT Relations in graphical notation. This CSP-based machine-readable semantics supports important flow control related features of UML 2.0, and can be easily understood by humans. Furthermore, the semantics may serve as a foundation for tools supporting model execution, code generation and automated reasoning in model driven development of software system.