Improving implementation of code generators: A regular-expression approach

Code generators are important tools in software development, to automate repetitive coding tasks, facilitate portability, abstract implementation details, and reduce development costs. However, as the complexity of code generators grow, they tend to be harder to maintain, especially when there is a large amount of templates involved. This paper proposes an approach for code generation based on regular expression substitution. Instead of using templates for code generation, this approach transforms existing source code, using regular expression substitution, to implement the required functionality. We are currently applying this technique to strengthen the code generation framework of Heinsohn Business Technology, as part of the 'Lion' project co-financed by Colciencias. Our experience shows that, although this approach has a steeper learning curve, it facilitates capitalization of the experience of software development organizations, selecting successfully modules that are taken as a reference source for code generation in future projects.