Periodic Reporting for period 1 - Lowcomote (Training the Next Generation of Experts in Scalable Low-Code Engineering Platforms)
Période du rapport: 2019-01-01 au 2020-12-31
Low-code development platforms (LCDPs) are software development platforms on the Cloud, provided through a Platform-as a-Service model, which allow users to build completely operational applications by interacting through dynamic graphical user interfaces, visual diagrams and declarative languages. They address the need of non-programmers to develop personalized software, and focus on their domain expertise instead of implementation requirements.
Lowcomote will train a generation of experts that will upgrade the current trend of LCDPs to a new paradigm, low-code engineering platforms (LCEPs). LCEPs will be open, allowing to integrate heterogeneous engineering tools, interoperable, allowing for cross-platform engineering, scalable, supporting very large engineering models and social networks of developers, smart, simplifying the development for citizen developers by machine learning and recommendation techniques. This will be achieved by injecting in LCDPs the theoretical and technical framework defined by recent research in Model-Driven Engineering (MDE), augmented with Cloud Computing and Machine Learning techniques. This is possible today thanks to recent breakthroughs in scalability of MDE performed in the EC FP7 research project MONDO, lead by Lowcomote partners.
The 48-month Lowcomote project will train the first European generation of skilled professionals in LCEPs. The 15 future scientists will benefit from an original training and research programme merging competencies and knowledge from 5 highly-recognized academic institutions and 9 large and small industries of several domains. Co-supervision from both sectors is a promising process to facilitate agility of our future professionals between the academic and industrial world.
To reach its main scientific goal, Lowcomote integrates an interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral research program around three specific research objectives (RO) and three training objectives (TO). Lowcomote will train ESRs capable of:
* RO1: Enabling Low-code Engineering of Large-Scale Heterogeneous Systems (WP3), by smart development environments on the Cloud and precise integration of low-code languages with new domains.
* RO2: Developing a Large-scale Repository and Services for Low-Code Engineering (WP4), as a Cloud-based service able to handle a very large number of low-code artefacts, and automatically learn from them.
* RO3: Producing advancements in Scalable Low-Code Artefact Management (WP5), as new algorithms and reusable components.
The Lowcomote training program will:
* TO1: Provide ESRs with scientific knowledge beyond the state of the art to strengthen career perspectives.
* TO2: Maximise exposure to different environments, in order to give ESRs the possibility to understand the whole chain of value in their domain. Multiple exposures will enhance creativity, agility and value generation.
* TO3: Provide ESRs with communication, management and career development skills, enabling them to succeed in any sector.
Lowcomote will train a generation of experts that will upgrade the current trend of LCDPs to a new paradigm, low-code engineering platforms (LCEPs). LCEPs will be open, allowing to integrate heterogeneous engineering tools, interoperable, allowing for cross-platform engineering, scalable, supporting very large engineering models and social networks of developers, smart, simplifying the development for citizen developers by machine learning and recommendation techniques. This will be achieved by injecting in LCDPs the theoretical and technical framework defined by recent research in Model-Driven Engineering (MDE), augmented with Cloud Computing and Machine Learning techniques. This is possible today thanks to recent breakthroughs in scalability of MDE performed in the EC FP7 research project MONDO, lead by Lowcomote partners.
The 48-month Lowcomote project will train the first European generation of skilled professionals in LCEPs. The 15 future scientists will benefit from an original training and research programme merging competencies and knowledge from 5 highly-recognized academic institutions and 9 large and small industries of several domains. Co-supervision from both sectors is a promising process to facilitate agility of our future professionals between the academic and industrial world.
To reach its main scientific goal, Lowcomote integrates an interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral research program around three specific research objectives (RO) and three training objectives (TO). Lowcomote will train ESRs capable of:
* RO1: Enabling Low-code Engineering of Large-Scale Heterogeneous Systems (WP3), by smart development environments on the Cloud and precise integration of low-code languages with new domains.
* RO2: Developing a Large-scale Repository and Services for Low-Code Engineering (WP4), as a Cloud-based service able to handle a very large number of low-code artefacts, and automatically learn from them.
* RO3: Producing advancements in Scalable Low-Code Artefact Management (WP5), as new algorithms and reusable components.
The Lowcomote training program will:
* TO1: Provide ESRs with scientific knowledge beyond the state of the art to strengthen career perspectives.
* TO2: Maximise exposure to different environments, in order to give ESRs the possibility to understand the whole chain of value in their domain. Multiple exposures will enhance creativity, agility and value generation.
* TO3: Provide ESRs with communication, management and career development skills, enabling them to succeed in any sector.
During the first period, the project organized 4 one-week network events. The first 3 network events were focused on giving all the ESRs the base training in Model-Driven Engineering, Cloud Computing, and Data Science, required to address the 3 research objectives RO1-RO3 of the project. The ESRs also performed a wide set of individual training activities within their hosting institution. We organized two open workshops that gave the chance to ESRs to learn the state-of-the-art from well-known researchers and practitioners, and to exchange information about their research work. We provided all ESRs with specific training on Scientific Paper Writing and Oral Presentations, necessary for their scientific work. We also trained all ESRs to present their work in written form (by writing papers, and contributing to deliverables) and oral form (by presenting in 3 Internal Research Meetings and the 2 open workshops).
During the first period, research by ESRs in WP3 (Low-code Engineering of Large-Scale Heterogeneous Systems) lead to the following results:
* A system to synthesize recommender systems for DSLs
* Designs and early prototypes of a cloud-based editor for domain-specific languages (DSLs)
* Integrations of different low-code building blocks for the considered domains.
ESRs in WP4 (Large-scale Repository and Services for Low-Code Engineering) have:
* Defined the architecture of the envisioned repository for low-code artefacts
* Conceived a language for specifying DevOps processes in low-code platforms.
ESRs in WP5 (Scalable Low-Code Artefact Management) produced the first prototypes of:
* A transformation tool, written in Scala for Spark
* A static analyser and query optimizer for the EOL and EVL languages
* A feature catalogue for low-code platforms
* Model checking cloud services.
13 ESRs published their first results in international conferences and workshops.
During the first period, research by ESRs in WP3 (Low-code Engineering of Large-Scale Heterogeneous Systems) lead to the following results:
* A system to synthesize recommender systems for DSLs
* Designs and early prototypes of a cloud-based editor for domain-specific languages (DSLs)
* Integrations of different low-code building blocks for the considered domains.
ESRs in WP4 (Large-scale Repository and Services for Low-Code Engineering) have:
* Defined the architecture of the envisioned repository for low-code artefacts
* Conceived a language for specifying DevOps processes in low-code platforms.
ESRs in WP5 (Scalable Low-Code Artefact Management) produced the first prototypes of:
* A transformation tool, written in Scala for Spark
* A static analyser and query optimizer for the EOL and EVL languages
* A feature catalogue for low-code platforms
* Model checking cloud services.
13 ESRs published their first results in international conferences and workshops.
Lowcomote will build a set of components of a single open LCEP. It will be delivered as a Platform-as-a-Service, based on open standards at all levels (e.g. EMF, language-server-protocol, OpenStack). The platform will be composed of two main parts, a frontend and a backend. A frontend will provide low-code engineering languages and smart interfaces that end-users will exploit to produce their artefacts. A backend will come in the form of a LCEP repository providing server-side services for LCEP developers. Finally, the project will produce the fundamental bricks used by frontend and backend for efficiently manipulating LCEP artefacts. The work in the first period produced theoretical bases, specifications and first prototypes for these components.
We envision that LCEPs are going to radically transform the software construction landscape in the next few years, and will be the next step in the LCDP wave. Digitalization of the society and the complete industry is one of the key challenges of the EU in the upcoming decade. Providing novel interfaces for the development of software systems is one of the main enablers for the digital transformation. LCEPs are giving access to non-programmers in building business-ready applications either for industrial or academic purposes. The capacity of LCEPs to transform domain experts (e.g. mechanical, civil, industrial engineers) into citizen developers makes them an active part of the ongoing digital transformation, instead of passive receivers. By enhancing low-code technologies, Lowcomote will be strengthening the position of EU software companies worldwide and improving Europe’s competitiveness and growth.
Lowcomote’s ESRs are acquiring the competences needed to construct new LCEPs, upgrade LCDPs to LCEPs or extend existing LCEPs to address new specific industrial domains. ESRs of Lowcomote will also be prone to prevent citizen developers from developing low-code of low quality. ESRs will develop expertise to have the potential to be employed in several fields like energy, transport, manufacturing, and will impact different sectors of industry. Lowcomote will train the first generation of LCEP experts, and they will be in Europe.
We envision that LCEPs are going to radically transform the software construction landscape in the next few years, and will be the next step in the LCDP wave. Digitalization of the society and the complete industry is one of the key challenges of the EU in the upcoming decade. Providing novel interfaces for the development of software systems is one of the main enablers for the digital transformation. LCEPs are giving access to non-programmers in building business-ready applications either for industrial or academic purposes. The capacity of LCEPs to transform domain experts (e.g. mechanical, civil, industrial engineers) into citizen developers makes them an active part of the ongoing digital transformation, instead of passive receivers. By enhancing low-code technologies, Lowcomote will be strengthening the position of EU software companies worldwide and improving Europe’s competitiveness and growth.
Lowcomote’s ESRs are acquiring the competences needed to construct new LCEPs, upgrade LCDPs to LCEPs or extend existing LCEPs to address new specific industrial domains. ESRs of Lowcomote will also be prone to prevent citizen developers from developing low-code of low quality. ESRs will develop expertise to have the potential to be employed in several fields like energy, transport, manufacturing, and will impact different sectors of industry. Lowcomote will train the first generation of LCEP experts, and they will be in Europe.