On Executable Meta-Languages applied to Model Transformations

Domain specific languages for model transformation have recently generated significant interest in the model-driven engineering community. The adopted QVT specification has normalized some scheme of model transformation language; however several different model transformation language paradigms are likely to co-exist in the near future, ranging from imperative to declarative (including hybrid). It remains nevertheless questionable how model transformation specific languages compare to more general purpose languages, in terms of applicability, scalability and robustness. In this paper we report on our specific experience in applying an executable meta-language to the model transformation field.