Towards Agile Language Engineering

Abstract

Language engineering is software engineering concerned with computer languages. Agile language engineering is the result of adapting agile principles to language engineering. An agile language engineering process is geared to ever changing requirements and fosters higher language quality, software quality, and developer productivity. It provides short iteration cycles, intensive user integration, control over frequent changes, and continuous delivery of valuable language tools. In this paper, we point out technological premises for agile language engineering; and we sketch how they are met by well-known as well as upcoming techniques and tools from language engineering.