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Pattern Name: Product Code Management – Customization using DSL

Pattern Class: Architecture Version: 1.0
Pattern ID: Release Date: Oct 5, 2010

Table of Content

1. Pattern Name ........................................................................................... 2

2. Also Known As.......................................................................................... 2
3. Class Name.............................................................................................. 2
4. Intent ..................................................................................................... 2
5. Motivation (Forces) ................................................................................... 2
6. Applicability ............................................................................................. 2
7. Structure ................................................................................................. 2
8. Participants .............................................................................................. 3
9. Collaboration............................................................................................ 3
10. Consequences .......................................................................................... 3
11. Implementation ........................................................................................ 3
12. Sample Code............................................................................................ 3
13. Known Uses ............................................................................................. 3
14. Related Patterns ....................................................................................... 4
15. Reference ................................................................................................ 4

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1. Pattern Name
Product Code Management – Customization using DSL

2. Also Known As
N.A.

3. Class Name
Architecture

4. Intent
To Manage code (Core language – java, c/c++, etc) and SQL scripts
(DDL and DML).

5. Motivation (Forces)
In any products’ life cycle management of its code is one of the
most important tasks. As the code base size increases and
customization due to increasing customer base, its management
becomes difficult and some time unmanageable.

6. Applicability
This pattern is applicable in any software development where
product is not off the shelf (not like MS Office) but requires
customization due to varied customer needs and choices but
serving same underlying business needs.

7. Structure
In this pattern, product designer provides a framework which allows
extension of features and facilities within boundaries using specified
Domain Specific Language (DSL). The boundaries define the
product but enough flexibility to accommodate customer needs.
Generally speaking, these boundaries are defined by business
domain.

In contemporary product Haskell and Groovy is very popular. Few

years back Visual Basic like DSLs were very popular.

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8. Participants
N.A.

9. Collaboration
N.A.

10. Consequences
Customization developers must be well aware of product’s
underlying framework and DSL.

Some customizations will be done by customer without informing

product designers’ which will hamper the feature enhancement in
core product due to information unavailability to product designers.

Upgradation may become little difficult if customization has not

followed the rules laid by product designers.

11. Implementation
In this pattern, product designer provides a framework which allows
extension of features and facilities within boundaries using specified
Domain Specific Language (DSL). The boundaries define the
product but enough flexibility to accommodate customer needs.
Generally speaking, these boundaries are defined by business
domain.

12. Sample Code

N.A.

13. Known Uses

SAP using ABAP

N4 by Zebra using Groovy

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14. Related Patterns

Product Code Management – Customization by Customer

Product Code Management – Use Customer specific folder

Product Code Management – Use Customer specific marker

Product Code Management – Distinct Code base

15. Reference
N.A.

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