Component Based Software

Component-based software development regards software construction in terms of conventional engineering disciplines where the assembly of systems from readily-available prefabricated parts is the norm. Because both component-based systems themselves and the stakeholders in component-based development projects are different from traditional software systems, component-based testing also needs to deviate from traditional software testing approaches.

Embedded systems are ubiquitous. They appear in cell phones, microwave ovens, refrigerators, consumer electronics, cars, and jets. Some of these embedded s- tems are safety- or security-critical such as in medical equipment, nuclear plants, and X-by-wire control systems in naval, ground and aerospace transportation - hicles. With the continuing shift from hardware to software, embedded systems are increasingly dominated by embedded software. Embedded software is complex. Its engineering inherently involves a mul- disciplinary interplay with the physics of the embedding system or environment. Embedded software also comes in ever larger quantity and diversity. The next generation of premium automobiles will carry around one gigabyte of binary code. The proposed US DDX submarine is e?ectively a ?oating embedded so- ware system, comprising 30 billion lines of code written in over 100 programming languages. Embedded software is expensive. Cost estimates are quoted at around US$15– 30 per line (from commencement to shipping). In the defense realm, costs can range up to $100, while for highly critical applications, such as the Space Shuttle, the cost per line approximates $1,000. In view of the exponential increase in complexity, the projected costs of future embedded software are staggering.

This book covers a range of basic and advanced topics in software engineering. The field has undergone several phases of change and improvement since its invention, and there is significant ongoing research in software development, addressing aspects such as analysis, design, testing and maintenance. Rather than focusing on a single aspect of software engineering, this book provides a systematic overview of recent techniques, including requirement gathering in the form of story points in agile software, and bio-inspired techniques for estimating the effort, cost, and time required for software development. As such it is a valuable resource for new researchers interested in advances in software engineering — particularly in the area of bio-inspired techniques.