Debugging and testing behavioral UML models

Abstract

As software complexity increases, the process of software development is shifting from being code-centric to model-centric. For this purpose, UML augments the object-oriented paradigm with powerful and flexible behavioral modeling capabilities. It allows the developer to describe the system's behavior in a higher level of abstraction by using state machines, activities, and interactions. To facilitate such model-driven development, we present a plug-in for IBM Rational's modeling tools, which enables the execution, debugging and testing of UML models. The presentation will show how to use our tools to discover defects early in the development cycle, thus preventing costly rework at later stages. We will highlight the innovative features of our tools, such as model-level debug control, interactive dynamic debugging, and the extensibility that allows developing support for UML profiles.