Short Comparison of Agent IDEs

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Short Comparison of Agent IDEs

• Lars Braubach

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CASE Tool - IDE - Runtime Env.
Implementation/ Testing/Debugging
Analysis/Design
Operation
CASE Tool
IDE
Runtime Environment
Compilation / Interpretation
Source Code Gen.
(e.g. Eclipse)
(e.g. J2SE)
(e.g. Rational Rose)
based on
based on
based on
Modelling Language
Programming Language
Executable Language
Mapping
Mapping
(e.g. UML)
(e.g. Java)
(e.g. Bytecode)
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CASE Tool - IDE - Runtime Env.
Implementation/ Testing/Debugging
Analysis/Design
Operation
CASE Tool
IDE
Runtime Environment
Compilation / Interpretation
Source Code Gen.
(e.g. JACK IDE)
(e.g. JACK platform)
(e.g. Prometheus Design Tool)
based on
based on
based on
Modelling Language
Programming Language
Executable Language
Mapping
Mapping
(e.g. Prometheus language)
(e.g. JAL)
(e.g. Bytecode)
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Lessons learned from OO-IDEs

• Objectives of OO-IDEs
• Address mainstream OO programming languages
• Want to support mainstream application developers
• Cover mainly the implementation phase
• Support development at the programming language
  level (mostly concentrate on one language)
• Make development more effective by automating
  tasks

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Functionality of OO-IDEs

• Target mainly inplementation phase (so they are
  not meant to support a specific methodology)
• Project management (project structure,
  versioning, team management, file management, )
• Creating/editing (struture views, error
  detection, auto-completion, code generation, )
• Refactoring (renaming, changing signatures,
  moving elements, )
• Build/Run(Debug) Process(automatic compiling,
  direct invocation of methods, )
• Testing (unit testing, code coverage, )
• Sometimes also address design (UML-plugins etc.)
  and deployment

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Agent IDEs (Overview)

• As no generally accepted agent programming
  language exists, agent frameworks have to support
  proprietary IDEs
• From 50 agent platforms only 7 offer IDE
  support

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Example Agent IDEs
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Agent IDEs - State-of-the-Art

• Some MAS Frameworks with IDE support

• Most agent IDEs
• support one platform specific agent language
• offer basic support for project management,
  editing and build/run actions
• do not support refactoring and testing

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Some Observations for AO IDEs

• try to abstract away from the language and offer
  graphical means for programming (dialogs,
  wizards, etc.)
• why? are agent languages are not adequate for
  direct programming?
• try to reinvent the wheel as (mostly) they are
  not based on existing OO IDEs
• what is the reason for this?
• are generally not connected to agent
  analysis/design tools. A few IDEs (PDT, Living
  Systems Suite) want to support the whole
  development process
• is this desirable as no consensus exists
  concerning methodologies?
• are mostly commercial
• are these tools a selling argument or a real
  help?

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Summary

• An IDE supports a developer in the implementation
  phase at the code level
• Few agent IDEs are available to date. They
  provide only (basic) support for project
  management, creating/editing and building/running
  activities
• Do not cover refactoring, testing at all
• Are (mostly) implemented from scratch as
  commercial solutions