A Semantically Rich Approach for Collaborative Model

We propose a novel approach and tool for collaborative software engineering and development. In model-based software engineering, the underlying data structure is a complex, directed and labeled graph. Collaborative engineering requires that developers be able to copy the graph, make independent changes, compare them, detect conflicts, and merge nonconflicting graphs. To support different collaboration and development styles requires a very flexible toolset. Worldwide, loosely-coupled development teams require the support of large-scale networks of users, possibly disconnected, in a decentralised fashion. No matter how the graph replicas evolve, they must eventually converge. We describe and evaluate C-Praxis, a tool that satisfies these requirements.