ThingML: A Generative Approach to Engineer Heterogeneous and Distributed Systems

Abstract

Cyber Physical Systems (CPS) typically rely on a highly heterogeneous interconnection of platforms and devices offering a diversity of complementary capabilities: from cloud server with their virtually unlimited resources to tiny microcontrollers supporting the connection to the physical world. This tutorial presents ThingML, a tool-supported Model-Driven Software Engineering (MDSE) approach targeting the heterogeneity and distribution challenges associated with the development of CPS. ThingML is based on a domain specific modelling languages integrating state-of-the-art concepts for modeling distributed systems, and comes with a set of compilers targeting a large set of platforms and communication protocols. ThingML has been iteratively elaborated over the past years based on a set of experiences and projects aiming at applying the state of the art in MDSE in practical contexts and with different industry partners.