The challenges of a model transformation language

With the increasing application of the Model-Driven Development, the model transformation approaches and tools have become an emerging researching field. An important aspect of model-driven approaches is the language that facilitates the definition of model transformations. In case of model transformation languages it is essential to investigate how expressive the language is, e.g. how self-explaining it is, what kind of language constructs it offers, and how effectively this transformation definition can be processed. In this paper we investigate the languages of some popular model transformation tools, particularly their main attributes and specificities. Using a case study, we examine how these aspects support both the effective definition and processing of model transformations. As a conclusion, we summarize the aspects that an expressive and effective model transformation language should address.