Blockchain-Based Systems Development Using Model-Driven Engineering

• Gislainy Velasco UFG
• Noeli Antônia Pimentel Vaz UFG / UEG
• Matheus Brito Martins UFG
• Matheus Lázaro Honório da Silva UFG
• Pedro Moraes Ribeiro Gonçalves Silva UFG
• Sergio T. Carvalho UFG

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5753/wblockchain.2024.3410

Resumo

Blockchain-based software development faces significant challenges related to decentralization, coordinating system elements across network nodes, and making complex decisions about the distribution of software components between blockchain and conventional structures. Additionally, the limitation in data storage capacity in blockchain transactions requires integrating solutions, raising critical access control issues, and removing false or legally problematic data when stored on the ledger. Identity management also undergoes transformations, with users being identified by encrypted addresses and their interactions validated by private access keys, presenting security and information recovery challenges in case of private key loss. The integration between blockchains and conventional systems becomes essential to ensure the architectural integrity of the systems. In this context, an approach is introduced for developing blockchain-based systems, focusing on integrating conventional systems through Model-Driven Engineering (MDE). The central proposal aims to fill a gap in the literature, providing a comprehensive strategy from conception to implementation in blockchain-based systems, using MDE as a software engineering technique. This work is presented as a position paper, representing an ongoing effort outlining an innovative perspective in blockchain systems development. This exploratory research project investigates potential synergies between blockchain and MDE techniques. We hope to contribute significantly to the seamless integration between blockchain and conventional systems.

Referências

Alladi, T., Chamola, V., Parizi, R. M., and Choo, K.-K. R. (2019). Blockchain Applications for Industry 4.0 and Industrial IoT: A Review. IEEE Access, 7:176935–176951.

Angelis, J. and Ribeiro da Silva, E. (2019). Blockchain adoption: A value driver perspective. Business Horizons, 62(3):307–314.

Barbaria, S., Mahjoubi, H., and Rahmouni, H. B. (2023). A novel blockchain-based architectural modal for healthcare data integrity: Covid19 screening laboratory use-case. Procedia Computer Science, 219:1436–1443.

Barišić, A., Zhu, E., and Mallet, F. (2021). Model-driven approach for the design of Multi-Chain Smart Contracts. In 2021 3rd BRAINS), pages 37–38.

Buterin, V. et al. (2014). A next-generation smart contract and decentralized application platform. white paper, 3(37):2–1.

Carter, L. and Ubacht, J. (2018). Blockchain applications in government. In Proceedings of the 19th Annual International Conference on Digital Government Research: governance in the data age, pages 1–2.

Chowdhury, M. U., Suchana, K., Alam, S. M. E., and Khan, M. M. (2021). Blockchain application in banking system. Journal of Software Engineering and Applications, 14(7):298–311.

Curty, S., Härer, F., and Fill, H.-G. (2023). Design of blockchain-based applications using model-driven engineering and low-code/no-code platforms: a structured literature review. Software and Systems Modeling, 22(6):1857–1895.

Deepa, N., Pham, Q.-V., Nguyen, D. C., Bhattacharya, S., Prabadevi, B., Gadekallu, T. R., Maddikunta, P. K. R., Fang, F., and Pathirana, P. N. (2022). A survey on blockchain for big data: Approaches, opportunities, and future directions. Future Generation Computer Systems, 131:209–226.

Garamvölgyi, P., Kocsis, I., Gehl, B., and Klenik, A. (2018). Towards Model-Driven Engineering of Smart Contracts for Cyber-Physical Systems. In 2018 48th Annual IEEE/IFIP DSN-W, pages 134–139.

Ghosh, P. K., Chakraborty, A., Hasan, M., Rashid, K., and Siddique, A. H. (2023). Blockchain Application in Healthcare Systems: A Review. Systems, 11(1).

Hamdaqa, M., Met, L. A. P., and Qasse, I. (2022). iContractML 2.0: A domain-specific language for modeling and deploying smart contracts onto multiple blockchain platforms. Information and Software Technology, 144:106762.

Jin, H., Wang, Z., Wen, M., Dai, W., Zhu, Y., and Zou, D. (2022). Aroc: An Automatic Repair Framework for On-Chain Smart Contracts. IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, 48(11):4611–4629.

Jurgelaitis, M., čeponienė, L., and Butkienė, R. (2022). Solidity Code Generation From UML State Machines in Model-Driven Smart Contract Development. IEEE Access, 10:33465–33481.

Khan, A. G., Zahid, A. H., Hussain, M., Farooq, M., Riaz, U., and Alam, T. M. (2019). A journey of WEB and Blockchain towards the Industry 4.0: An Overview. In 2019 International Conference on Innovative Computing (ICIC), pages 1–7.

Nakamoto, S. (2008). Bitcoin: A peer-to-peer electronic cash system. Decentralized Business Review, page 21260.

Pournader, M., Shi, Y., Seuring, S., and Koh, S. L. (2020). Blockchain applications in supply chains, transport and logistics: a systematic review of the literature. International Journal of Production Research, 58(7):2063–2081.

Qasse, I., Mishra, S., and Hamdaqa, M. (2021). iContractBot: A Chatbot for Smart Contracts’ Specification and Code Generation. In 2021 IEEE/ACM 3rd BotSE, pages 35–38.

Santiago, L., Abijaude, J., and Greve, F. (2021). A Framework to Generate Smart Contracts On the Fly. In Proceedings of the XXXV SBES, page 410–415, New York, NY, USA. Association for Computing Machinery.

Seidewitz, E. (2003). What models mean. IEEE Software, 20(5):26–32.

Six, N., Herbaut, N., and Salinesi, C. (2022). Blockchain software patterns for the design of decentralized applications: A systematic literature review. Blockchain: Research and Applications, 3(2):100061.

Teles-Borges, M., Bocanegra, J., Dornelles, E. F., Sawicki, S., Reina-Quintero, A. M., Molina-Jimenez, C., Roos-Frantz, F., and Frantz, R. Z. (2024). Jabuti CE: A Tool for Specifying Smart Contracts in the Domain of Enterprise Application Integration. In MODELSWARD24.

Tsai, W.-T., Ge, N., Jiang, J., Feng, K., and He, J. (2019). Invited Paper: Beagle: A New Framework for Smart Contracts Taking Account of Law. In 2019 IEEE SOSE, pages 134–13411.

Velasco, G., Vaz, N., and Carvalho, S. (2023a). Challenges and Opportunities in Smart Contract Development on the Ethereum Virtual Machine. In Proceedings of the 6th Blockchain Workshop: Theory, Technology and Applications, pages 15–28, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. SBC.

Velasco, G., Vieira, D., Vieira, M., and Carvalho, S. (2023b). SCMTool: A Graphical Tool for Smart Contract Modeling. In Proceedings of the 1st Colloquium on Blockchain and Decentralized Web, pages 31–36, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. SBC.

Velasco, G., Vieira, M., and Carvalho, S. (2023c). Evaluation of a High-Level Metamodel for Developing Smart Contracts on the Ethereum Virtual Machine. In Proceedings of the 6th Blockchain Workshop: Theory, Technology and Applications, pages 29–42, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil. SBC.

Velasco, G. C. (2023). A Model-Driven Approach to Smart Contract Development (in portuguese). Master dissertation - Instituto de Informática, Universidade Federal de Goiás.

Viriyasitavat, W. and Hoonsopon, D. (2019). Blockchain characteristics and consensus in modern business processes. Journal of Industrial Information Integration, 13:32–39.

Yang, X. and Li, W. (2020). A zero-knowledge-proof-based digital identity management scheme in blockchain. Computers & Security, 99:102050.