Berger-Levrault embarked on an exciting journey in 2023 by establishing a joint research team with the Inria research laboratory and the CRIStAL laboratory of the University of Lille. Named Evref, this collaboration marks a significant milestone in Berger-Levrault’s pursuit of advancing software comprehension and modernization.
Evref: A Giant Leap Towards Software Understanding
Evref is not only a transformative initiative for accelerating software understanding but also a gateway to a broader set of methods and tools aimed at expediting our development processes. The collaboration goes beyond software modernization and comprehension, encompassing various aspects such as test generation, code visualization, transpilation, and business rule analysis, to name a few. This comprehensive approach ensures that Berger-Levrault stays at the forefront of software engineering innovation.
A Thriving Partnership Yielding Remarkable Results
The alliance between Berger-Levrault and Inria has already borne fruit, producing several industrial and research successes. Among these achievements are the development of Casino, a tool designed to facilitate the migration of software systems, and multiple projects centered on access code comprehension.
With the inception of Evref, Berger-Levrault now has the opportunity to broaden its research horizons in areas such as Test Generation, Service Isolation, and the integration of cutting-edge Software Engineering techniques into the everyday developer’s environment. Among the most promising collaborations is the exploration of Model Driven Engineering (MDE) and AI4CODE – an exciting combination that aims to revolutionize software development by leveraging artificial intelligence.
This collaborative effort involves two PhD students and numerous engineers from Berger-Levrault/Evref working together in a synergistic relationship. Keep an eye out for their insightful blog posts on MDE, AI4CODE, and other fascinating topics, coming soon!
Pharo and Moose: The Powerhouse Tools of Evref
At the heart of Evref’s toolkit are the Pharo programming language and the open-source analysis platform Moose. These tools have been instrumental in helping the development team maintain and evolve their software systems. Adopted by Berger-Levrault since 2019, Pharo and Moose have become indispensable components of our daily toolbox.
Expanding the Evref Toolbox
Evref has already enriched its toolbox with extensions that link Moose with OpenTelemetry and SonarQube, allowing for the analysis of new applications written in languages such as Dart. Additionally, Evref has developed tools to gather information from git repositories, further enhancing its software analysis capabilities.
Stay tuned for more updates on the Evref initiative and the groundbreaking advancements it brings to the world of Software Engineering!
