API migration alive and kicking strongly

I have been talking about API migration a lot lately.

I have even a draft paper in limbo ... so much in limbo that I don't even link to it here.

In fact, I admit that it is very difficult to get anything done scientifically and practically on this topic.

Thanks to some recent collaboration, there are some cool results and a new draft paper.

Feedback very much appreciated.

Regards,

Ralf

Status
- Paper submitted for publication
- Wrapper implementation uploaded
Authors
Thiago Tonelli Bartolomei and Krzysztof Czarnecki and Ralf Lämmel and Tijs van der Storm
Abstract

API migration refers to the problem of adapting an application such
that the usage of a given API (the source API) is replaced by the
usage of an alternative API (the target API) serving the same
domain. One may attempt to automate API migration by wrapping or
some form of (source- or byte-) code transformation. API migration
is relatively well understood for the special case where source and
target APIs are essentially different versions of the same API. API
migration is much less understood for the more general case where
source API and target API have been developed more or less
independently of each other. The present paper exercises a simple
instance of the general case and develops engineering techniques
towards the mastery of API migration. That is, a wrapper-based
migration between two prominent XML APIs for the Java platform is
studied where the various differences between the chosen APIs are
identified, classified and counted in a systematic manner.

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