gsoc idea: xmlif

[Vladimir Kirillov <proger%wilab.org.ua@localhost>]

Hello, tech-kern@!

I've been browsing around the 2011 GSoC ideas and have hit this:

Research converting system interfaces to XML
http://wiki.netbsd.org/projects/gsoc_2011/xmlif/

I have been researching on the topic of consolidation and systematization
of system APIs and interfaces with goals to provide better documentation
and facilities for further semi-automated code transformations to
simplify API transitions and code integration.

Last year I was using clang compiler's abstract syntax tree to
gather a 'component model' of the kernel code and stored into a
database for further analysis, however the project kind of stalled
at the moment.

I find this research idea a great fit to redirect the potential and
breathe in some real use case into my previous work.

The suggested interface specification language and the specifications
itself can be used to produce the following analysis data (from my
point of view):

- graphical representations of interface dependencies (autogenerated
  UML-like graphs)
- detect loose API dependencies and API misuses all over the code
- headers autogeneration
- runtime debugging information
        - ddb pretty-printers (as suggested on the page)
        - probably more stuff to aid runtime kernel inspection
                like solaris mdb?


I'm an undergraduate student at Kiev Polytechic Institute with BSD
internals experience and willing to take part in such GSoC project
if the suggested mentors will be as enthusiastic about this as me.

What do you think?


--
Sincerely,
Vladimir Kirillov