From C++ Refactorings to Graph Transformations

Abstract

In this paper, we study a metamodel for the C++ programming language. We work out refactorings on the C++ metamodel and present the essentials as graph transformations. The refactorings are demonstrated in terms of the C++ source code and the C++ target code as well. Graph transformations allow to capture refactoring details on a conceptual and easy to understand, but also very precise level. Using this approach we managed to formalize two major aspects of refactorings: the structural changes and the preconditions.