Authors:
Jan Slifka
and
Robert Pergl
Affiliation:
Faculty of Information Technology, Czech Technical University in Prague, Thákurova 9, 160 00 Prague 6, Czech Republic
Keyword(s):
Normalized Systems Theory, Interaction Flow Modeling Language (IFML), Model-Driven Code Generation.
Abstract:
Web front-end applications are essential for delivering smooth user experiences across a multitude of platforms and devices. However, these applications often face difficulties maintaining long-term evolvability as user demands and stakeholder expectations continue to shift. In this paper, we propose using the Interaction Flow Modeling Language (IFML) to design applications and then generating source code in Elm, a statically typed, pure functional programming language tailored for web frontends. By applying Normalized Systems Theory, we aim to ensure long-lasting stability in two key ways: first, by defining how the resulting source code should align with the theory’s principles; second, by employing expanders to generate code and incorporating a harvesting mechanism that allows custom modifications to the generated source without losing the connection to the original model. We demonstrate the practical application of our approach by designing an application using IFML models, intro
ducing custom code, and regenerating the application from an updated model while preserving those customizations. Our contribution is a novel methodology that integrates IFML, Elm, and Normalized Systems Theory to improve the stability and maintainability of web front-end applications.
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