The Rigorous Development of a System Version Control Database

Abstract

The "Rigorous Approach" to software development espoused by C.B. Jones in [1] is followed in developing a special-purpose database designed to control the various versions of a system. The version control program developed is firmly based upon the Gandalf [2] System Version Control Environment [3] in use at Carnegie-Mellon University.

Most projects involve the production of more than one source document. The documents (after processing) may be combined in various ways to compose systems. As systems evolve through different versions it becomes increasingly difficult to keep track of the source documents and their interdependencies; the consistency of systems put together from collections of documents is consequently hard to verify. The program developed supports the most common forms of document interdependency relations, and methods of system evolution. The entire top-level specification is presented. Crucial design decisions taken during a prototype development are also included and justified. The paper documents the author's experiences with the method on a small, yet non-trivial, problem.