ABSTRACT
To avoid this undesirable consequence, it is crucial that
a software architecture be specified formally (or at least
semiformally). Many researchers have proposed languages
that specialize in describing software architectures. These
languages are referred to as Architecture Description
Languages (ADLs), and they have unambiguous syntax
and semantics as well as supporting tools. This entry dis-
cusses several well-known ADLs and their salient features.
In addition, it offers an in-depth analysis of the existing
ADLs by presenting a novel classification of ADLs.
