Architecture Description Language

An Architecture Description Language ( ADL short ) has the ambition to describe software architectures.

This usually happens in both graphical and in text form. Many ADLs have the claim to describe software architectures so that they are understandable to laymen. A means to achieve this is the use of readily understandable graphics.

There are several ways to document software. Since there is no uniform standard, several groups have developed various ADLs. As an industry standard slowly crystallizes out as the Unified Modeling Language (UML).

Advantages of ADL are that the software system can be described, before it is actually implemented. Since each ADL is specified exactly, misunderstandings are easier to avoid.

Among the most ADLs exist analysis, development and / or simulation tools. These not only facilitate software development, but allow also partly a measurement of system properties, even before the system is implemented.