WebMLDoc: An approach for changes detection and traceability in user manuals for Web-applications

A well-known problem of automated maintenance of software user documentation during software product evolution is considered. WebMLDoc approach to solve this problem in Web-application domain is introduced. We use a model-oriented paradigm that implies generation of a source code for the main part of software or even from all models and further modifications of application via model modifications and code regeneration. In this case it is possible to “link” documentation with models not with a source code itself. This is much more convenient because models contain high-level information about an application code. This “link” is used for automated controlling documentation topics which are to be changed in accordance with software changes. In this paper a hypertext model of WebML modeling language is used. This model describes user interface features and is reflected to user documentation very well. We also present a pilot implementation of the approach.