ADAPT: An agent-based development toolkit and operation platform for self-adaptive systems

Abstract

Self-adaptive software (SAS) needs to handle complex software changes at runtime which are multiple, interrelated and unpredictable. However, existing specialized toolkits or platforms for SAS cannot fully assist the software in handling the changes with all the characteristics mentioned above at the same time. Therefore, based on the theories on MultiAgent Systems (MASs) and Search-based Software Engineering (SBSE), this paper proposes a reference architecture of SAS to handle the changes, and provides an Agent-based. Development toolkit and operAtion PlaTform for self-adaptive systems, called ADAPT, to support the development and operation of SAS according to the reference architecture. ADAPT can effectively handle complex changes with Agent technology and search-based planning method. It can also achieve automation in a way to reduce the burden of developers. Moreover, it provides adaptive abilities to SAS from the design time to runtime, reflecting the used methods in the whole process of software engineering.