Translating grammars to accurate metamodels

Abstract

There is a software language engineering gap between metamodel-based languages and grammar-based languages. Grammars can support integrated definition of concrete syntax and abstract syntax, which facilitates processing models, but usually prevents reusing the variety of language tools operating on Ecore metamodels (such as editors, interpreters, debuggers, etc.). Existing work on translating grammars to Ecore metamodels features very cursory translations only, which requires re-engineering intricacies natural to grammars for the metamodels again. We conceived a translation from an EBNF-like syntax to Ecore metamodels that considers the grammars’ intricacies. This translation is realized as a fully automated toolchain from grammars into Ecore & OCL using the language workbench MontiCore. Using this translation enables grammar-based languages to leverage the benefits of Ecore-compatible language tools while supporting natural definition of concrete and abstract syntax.