Checking Compliance of AADL Models with Modeling Guidelines using Resolint

Certification standards for high-assurance systems include objectives for demonstrating compliance of process artifacts such as requirements and code with style guidelines and other standards. With the emergence of model-based development, similar objectives have been specified that apply to models. Demonstration of compliance is often achieved by employing a static analysis linter tool. This paper describes Resolint, an open-source, lightweight linter tool for checking compliance of Architecture Analysis and Design Language (AADL) models with modeling guidelines. AADL enables engineers to describe the key elements of distributed, real-time, embedded system architectures with a sufficiently rigorous semantics. In addition, AADL provides an annex mechanism for extending the base language, enabling new kinds of analyses and tool support. Resolint uses the AADL annex capability to provide a language for specifying style guide rule sets. It is implemented as a plugin for the Eclipse-based Open Source AADL Tool Environment (OSATE) and includes an engine for evaluating whether an AADL model complies with the specified rule sets. Results of the Resolint analysis are displayed to the user and can even be automatically incorporated as evidence in a system assurance case using the companion Resolute tool. To illustrate the features of Resolint, we present three use cases involving the assurance of embedded avionics applications. We further describe how we applied Resolint in the evaluation, synthesis, and assurance of a cyber-resilient UAV surveillance application developed on the DARPA Cyber Assured Systems Engineering (CASE) program.