Combining type inference techniques for semi-automatic UML generation from Pharo code

Abstract

This paper explores how to reconstruct UML diagrams from dynamically typed languages such as Smalltalk, which do not use explicit type information. This lack of information makes traditional methods for extracting associations difficult. It addresses the need for automated techniques, particularly in legacy software systems, to facilitate their transformation into modern technologies, focusing on Smalltalk as a case study due to its extensive industrial legacy and modern adaptations like Pharo. We propose a way to create UML diagrams from Smalltalk code, focusing on using type inference to determine UML associations. For optimal outcomes for large-scale software systems, we recommend combining different type inference methods in an automatic or semi-automatic way.