Reference model for the integration of tools in the EUREKA software factory

EUREKA is a multi-national European research and development program supporting the advancement of the European technological base in the most important high-tech domains. The EUREKA SOFTWARE FACTORY (ESF) is one of the projects supported under this program. The main goals of ESF are the development of concepts for the construction of integrated software engineering environments with such characteristics as openness (i.e. the possibility to add new tools to an existing environment), plug-in capability (i.e. to provide standard interfaces for the connection of tools), and reuse capability (i.e. the reuse of tools in different environments). In order to achieve these goals the ESF concept is making provisions for the integration of tools based on a reference model that serves as a standardized framework for the interaction of tools. This paper describes the reference model and explains the integration problems that will be overcome with its use.