Software Product Line Engineering Topics:

# This document summarizes the importent parts of the course Software Product Line Engineering.
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- software product line engineering
	- background
	- examples
	- why tailor software systems
	- challenges
	- design and implementation of features
		- domain engineering
		- application engineering


- general
	- product lines
	- features
	- variants
	- classic approach compared to domain engineering and application engineering
		- pros, cons
		- proactive, reactive, extractive approaches
	- feature modelling
	- feature selecting
	- constraints
	- valid / invalid variants
	- propositional formula
	- feature diagrams
	- modeling tools


- runtime variability
	- runtime parameter
		- (command-line parameter, config file, dialog, source code, registry, ...)
		- global configuration options
		- propagating parameter
	- modularity
		- encapsulation / cohesion
		- coupling
		- divide and conquer, information hiding, maintainability, reusability, variability
		- problems
			- scattering
			- tangling
			- replication
	- design patterns for variability
		- observer
		- template
		- strategy
		- decorator
	- unflexible extention mechanism
	- diamant problem
	- delegation instead of inheritance


- variability at compile time
	- version control systems
		- branching and merging
		- parallel development
		- scaling
		- code and non-code files
		- variants vs. revisions
		- version control in product lines
		- pro / con
	- build systems
		- build systems in product lines
		- pro / con
	- preprocessors
		- pp in java?
		- pp in product lines
		- examples
		- pro / con
	- feature tracability problem


- components
	- components vs. objects/classes
	- components in product lines
	- class <-> component <-> package <-> module
	- pro / con
	- services and service-oriented architectures


- frameworks
	- hot spots (variation poitns, extention points)
	- plugins
	- white-box / black-box frameworks
	- load plugins
	- frameworks and product lines
	- pro / con
	- crosscutting concerns
	- command pattern / method calls / middleware
	- tyranny of the dominant decomposition
		- example
		- expression problem
		- data centric vs. method centric
	- preplanning problem


- feature-oriented programming (FOP)
	- feature cohesion (feature traceability problem)
	- mapping from features to artifacts
	- feature composition
	- FOP in product lines
	- tools
	- decomposition of classes
	- collaborations and rolls
	- refinements
	- feature modules in product lines
	- principle of uniformity


- aspect-oriented programming (AOP)
	- modularizing crosscutting features with aspects
	- AspectJ
		- static extention
		- dynamic extention
		- joint points, pointcuts (explicit & anonymous), advices
			- combination of pointcuts
			- parametrized pointcuts
			- within and withincode pointcuts
			- cflow and cflowbelow pointcuts
	- weaving aspects
	- obliviousness principle
	- aspects in product lines
	- pro / con (..., lexical comparison, fragile pointcut problem, complex syntax)


- AOP vs. FOP
	- similarities and differences
	- heterogeneous vs. homogeneous extensions
	- static vs. dynamic extention
	- refinement, weaving
	- limits
	- relevance in practice


- feature interactions
	- definition
	- examples
	- causes
	- feature optionality problem
	- dynamic vs. static
	- domain vs. implementation
	- higher order interaction
	- upperbound (theoretical in practice)


- non-functional properties (NFP)
	- Configurtation with feature models
		- partial feature selection
	- non-functional requirements
	- McCall‘s Quality Model
	- quantitative, qualitative
	- practical relevance
	- measuring NFP
		- classification
		- methods
		- approaches
	- prediction
		- influence model
		- sampling
		- ...
	- learning performance models
	- finding the best configuration
		- optimization techniques


- big picture
	- additionat topics
	- related topics
		- model-driven engineering
		- domain-specific engineering
		- software ecosystems
		- software architecture
		- service-oriented architectures
		- meta-programming
		- generative programming