ominaisuusmalli

Ominaisuusmalli, often translated as "feature model" in English, is a concept used in software engineering and product line engineering to describe the commonality and variability among a family of software products. It's a way to represent the possible features that can be included or excluded in different configurations of a product line.

The core of an ominaisuusmalli is a tree-like structure where parent nodes represent abstract features and child nodes represent more specific features or variations. Relationships between features can be defined, such as requiring a feature to be present if another is selected, or allowing a feature to be selected in multiple ways (e.g., choosing one option from a set). This allows for the systematic generation of valid product configurations from a vast number of possibilities.

By using an ominaisuusmalli, development teams can manage complexity, reduce redundancy, and ensure consistency across a product family. It aids in understanding the product landscape, identifying commonalities for reuse, and managing the variations that cater to different customer needs or market segments. The model serves as a central artifact for communication, design, and even automated configuration management. It's a key tool in realizing the benefits of software product lines, such as faster time-to-market and improved quality.