Domain-Specific Languages (DSLs) are specialized programming languages designed for specific domains, enhancing productivity by reducing manual coding and errors. They can be textual or graphical and offer multiple views, implemented through preprocessing techniques. Microsoft Visual Studio provides tools for developing DSLs, making them accessible for various applications like defining models and automating test case descriptions.

1. Introduction to Domain
Specific Languages
(DSLs)
Pedro Mendes da Silva
Computer Scientist
Linked-in: https://pt.linkedin.com/pub/pedro-mendes-da-silva/0/505/483
SlideShare: http://www.slideshare.net/PedroSilva404/

2. DSLs: Introduction
Domain Specific Languages (DSLs) are special-purpose programming
languages developed for a specific domain.
Some of its most interesting benefits include:
● increasing productivity
○ by reducing
■ the lines of code that have to be written manually
■ the number of coding errors
● (due to automatic domain restrictions)
● test generation
● formal verification

3. DSL view types
● DSLs work by using higher-level constructions and
restrictions
○ which are automatically converted to a lower level
programming language at a later time
● DSLs can be
○ textual (declarative or imperative)
○ graphical
● DSLs can include multiple views for the same domain.
○ example: state machine in graphical or XML format

4. DSLs: Preprocessing
● I’ve used DSLs extensively in my work and it saves a lot
of time
○ I strongly recomend using them
● “Preprocessing” is one of the tyipcal ways to implement
DSLs
○ Some subtypes include:
■ Macro processing
■ Source-to-source transformation
● (conversion between languages)
■ Pipeline
■ Lexical processing

5. DSL usage types
● You can use these languages for many
purposes, including:
○ Defining an entity model
■ example: UML
○ Protocol definition
■ example: Google Protobuf Interface Definition
○ High-level user interface description
■ example: Mozilla XUL
○ Automated test case description
○ Software architecture description

6. DSL Development and Usage
● DSL usage includes 2 separate stages
○ 1) DSL Development
■ a new language must be specified
■ a module to convert from the new language to an
existing one must be implemented
■ the new language should tested and refined
○ 2)Programming using the new DSL
■ the new DSL should be imported in the projects
that need it
■ new code can then be produced using the DSL

7. DSLs: Microsoft Visual Studio
● Microsoft has some easy to use DSL editor
tools in Visual Studio
● Check the “Modeling SDK for Visual Studio –
Domain-Specific Languages” at http://msdn.
microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb126288.aspx

8. DSLs: References
Check additional information and examples in these references:
● When and How to Develop Domain-Specific Languages (2005) – http://www.rose-hulman.
edu/Users/faculty/young/OldFiles/CS-Classes/OldFiles/csse490-mbse/Readings/DSL-Survey-WhenHow.pdf
● AN APPROACH FOR THE SYSTEMATIC DEVELOPMENT OF DSLS (2009) – http://nm.wu-wien.ac.
at/home/mark/publications/spe-v39i15-oct09.pdf
● Guidance for Domain Specific Modeling in Small and Medium Enterprises (2011) – http://www.dima.tu-berlin.
de/fileadmin/fg131/Publikation/Papers/henning-agt-bizware-guidance-domain-specific-modeling-dsm-splash-2011.pdf
● Evaluating the Benefits of Using Domain-Specific Modeling Languages – an Experience Report (2013) – http://www.
dsmforum.org/events/dsm13/Papers/Wegeler.pdf