Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Blockchain Application Development Using Model-Driven Engineering and Low-Code Platforms: A Survey

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Enterprise, Business-Process and Information Systems Modeling (BPMDS 2022, EMMSAD 2022)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing ((LNBIP,volume 450))

Abstract

The creation of blockchain-based software applications requires today considerable technical knowledge, particularly in software design and programming. This is regarded as a major barrier in adopting this technology in business and making it accessible to a wider audience. As a solution, no-code and low-code approaches have been proposed that require only little or no programming knowledge for creating full-fledged software applications. In this paper we review academic approaches from the discipline of model-driven engineering as well as industrial no-code and low-code development platforms for blockchains. We further present a case study for an integrated no-code blockchain environment for demonstrating the state-of-the-art in this area. Based on the gained insights we derive requirements for the future development of no-code and low-code approaches that are dedicated to the field of blockchains.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 64.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    See https://www.opengroup.org/archimate-forum/archimate-overview.

  2. 2.

    https://ontochain.ngi.eu/.

  3. 3.

    https://pinver.medium.com/decoding-the-no-code-low-code-startup-universe-and-its-players-4b5e0221d58b.

References

  1. Ait Hsain, Y., Laaz, N., Mbarki, S.: Ethereum’s smart contracts construction and development using model driven engineering technologies: a review. Procedia Comput. Sci. 184, 785–790 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Antonopoulos, A.M., Wood, G.: Mastering Ethereum: Building Smart Contracts and Dapps. O’reilly Media (2018)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Babkin, E., Komleva, N.: Model-driven liaison of organization modeling approaches and blockchain platforms. In: Aveiro, D., Guizzardi, G., Borbinha, J. (eds.) EEWC 2019. LNBIP, vol. 374, pp. 167–186. Springer, Cham (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37933-9_11

  4. Bock, A.C., Frank, U.: Low-code platform. Bus. Inf. Syst. Eng. 63(6), 733–740 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12599-021-00726-8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Brambilla, M., Cabot, J., Wimmer, M.: Model-driven software engineering in practice, second edition. Syn. Lect. Softw. Eng. 3(1), 1–207 (2017)

    Google Scholar 

  6. vom Brocke, J., Simons, A., Riemer, K., Niehaves, B., Plattfaut, R., Cleven, A.: Standing on the shoulders of giants: challenges and recommendations of literature search in information systems research. Commun. Assoc. Inf. Syst. 37, 9 (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Chen, W., Botchie, D., Braganza, A., Han, H.: A transaction cost perspective on blockchain governance in global value chains. Strateg. Chang. 31(1), 75–87 (2022)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Clohessy, T., Acton, T., Rogers, N.: Blockchain adoption: technological, organisational and environmental considerations. In: Treiblmaier, H., Beck, R. (eds.) Business Transformation through Blockchain, pp. 47–76. Springer, Cham (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98911-2_2

  9. Curty, S., Härer, F., Fill, H.G.: Towards the comparison of blockchain-based applications using enterprise modeling. In: ER Demos/Posters. CEUR-WS (2021)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Di Ruscio, D., Kolovos, D., de Lara, J., Pierantonio, A., Tisi, M., Wimmer, M.: Low-code development and model-driven engineering: two sides of the same coin? Softw. Syst. Model. 21, 437–446 (2022)

    Google Scholar 

  11. Fairley, P.: Ethereum will cut back its absurd energy use. IEEE Spectr. 56(1), 29–32 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Fill, H.-G., Härer, F., Muff, F., Curty, S.: Towards augmented enterprise models as low-code interfaces to digital systems. In: Shishkov, B. (ed.) BMSD 2021. LNBIP, vol. 422, pp. 343–352. Springer, Cham (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-79976-2_22

  13. Foxley, W., Kim, C.: Valid points: Ethereum’s proof-of-stake may happen sooner than you think (2021). https://www.coindesk.com/tech/2021/03/17/valid-points-ethereums-proof-of-stake-may-happen-sooner-than-you-think/

  14. Hamdaqa, M., Metz, L.A.P., Qasse, I.: IContractML: a domain-specific language for modeling and deploying smart contracts onto multiple blockchain platforms. In: 12th System Analysis and Modelling Conference, pp. 34–43. ACM (2020)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Härer, F., Fill, H.G.: A Comparison of Approaches for Visualizing Blockchains and Smart Contracts. Jusletter IT Weblaw February 2019 (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Helo, P., Shamsuzzoha, A.: Real-time supply chain—a blockchain architecture for project deliveries. Robot. Comput. Integr. Manufac. 63, 101909 (2020)

    Google Scholar 

  17. van den Heuvel, W.-J., Tamburri, D.A., D’Amici, D., Izzo, F.O, Potten, S.: ChainOps for smart contract-based distributed applications. In: Shishkov, B. (ed.) BMSD 2021. LNBIP, vol. 422, pp. 374–383. Springer, Cham (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-79976-2_25

  18. Holotiuk, F., Moormann, J.: Organizational adoption of digital innovation: the case of blockchain technology. In: ECIS Conference, p. 202 (2018)

    Google Scholar 

  19. Hu, B., et al.: A comprehensive survey on smart contract construction and execution: paradigms, tools, and systems. Patterns 2(2), 100179 (2021)

    Google Scholar 

  20. Jurgelaitis, M., Drungilas, V., Čeponienė, L., Vaičiukynas, E., Butkienė, R., Čeponis, J.: Smart contract code generation from platform specific model for hyperledger go. In: Rocha, Ál., Adeli, H., Dzemyda, G., Moreira, F., Ramalho C., Ana M. (eds.) WorldCIST 2021. AISC, vol. 1368, pp. 63–73. Springer, Cham (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-72654-6_7

  21. Levasseur, O., Iqbal, M., Matulevicius, R.: Survey of model-driven engineering techniques for blockchain-based applications. In: Proceedings of the Forum at Practice of Enterprise Modeling 2021, vol. 3045, pp. 11–20. CEUR (2021)

    Google Scholar 

  22. López-Pintado, O., Dumas, M., García-Bañuelos, L., Weber, I.: Interpreted execution of business process models on blockchain. In: 2019 IEEE 23rd International Enterprise Distributed Object Computing Conference (EDOC), pp. 206–215 (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  23. Mavridou, A., Laszka, A., Stachtiari, E., Dubey, A.: VeriSolid: correct-by-design smart contracts for ethereum. In: Goldberg, I., Moore, T. (eds.) FC 2019. LNCS, vol. 11598, pp. 446–465. Springer, Cham (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-32101-7_27

  24. Nguyen, C.T., Hoang, D.T., Nguyen, D.N., Niyato, D., Nguyen, H.T., Dutkiewicz, E.: Proof-of-stake consensus mechanisms for future blockchain networks: fundamentals, applications and opportunities. IEEE Access 7, 85727–85745, 100179 (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  25. Qasse, I., Mishra, S., Hamdaqa, M.: iContractBot: a chatbot for smart contracts’ specification and code generation. In: IEEE/ACM 3rd International Workshop on Bots in Software Engineering, pp. 35–38 (2021)

    Google Scholar 

  26. Sahay, A., Indamutsa, A., Di Ruscio, D., Pierantonio, A.: Supporting the understanding and comparison of low-code development platforms. In: SEAA Conference, pp. 171–178. IEEE (2020)

    Google Scholar 

  27. Schmidt, D.: Guest editor’s introduction: model-driven engineering. Computer 39(2), 25–31, 100179 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  28. Skotnica, M., Pergl, R.: Das contract - a visual domain specific language for modeling blockchain smart contracts. In: Aveiro, D., Guizzardi, G., Borbinha, J. (eds.) EEWC 2019. LNBIP, vol. 374, pp. 149–166. Springer, Cham (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37933-9_10

  29. Sánchez-Gómez, N., Torres-Valderrama, J., García-García, J.A., Gutiérrez, J.J., Escalona, M.J.: Model-based software design and testing in blockchain smart contracts: a systematic literature review. IEEE Access 8, 164556–164569, 100179 (2020)

    Google Scholar 

  30. Tan, S., S Bhowmick, S., Chua, H.E., Xiao, X.: Latte: visual construction of smart contracts. In: International Conference on Management of Data, pp. 2713–2716. ACM, New York, NY, USA (2020)

    Google Scholar 

  31. Tisi, M., et al.: Lowcomote: training the next generation of experts in scalable low-code engineering platforms. In: STAF 2019 (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  32. Trebbau, S., Wizenty, P., Sachweh, S.: Towards integrating blockchains with microservice architecture using model-driven engineering. In: Gregory, P., Kruchten, P. (eds.) XP 2021. LNBIP, vol. 426, pp. 167–175. Springer, Cham (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-88583-0_16

  33. Vacca, A., Di Sorbo, A., Visaggio, C.A., Canfora, G.: A systematic literature review of blockchain and smart contract development: techniques, tools, and open challenges. J. Syst. Softw. 174, 110891 (2021)

    Google Scholar 

  34. Watson, R.T., Webster, J.: Analysing the past to prepare for the future: writing a literature review a roadmap for release 2.0. J. Decis. Syst. 29(3), 129–147 (2020)

    Google Scholar 

  35. Webster, J., Watson, R.T.: Analyzing the past to prepare for the future: Writing a literature review. MIS Q. 26(2) (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  36. Whittle, J., Hutchinson, J., Rouncefield, M.: The state of practice in model-driven engineering. IEEE Softw. 31(3), 79–85 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Zeng, F., Chan, H.K., Pawar, K.: The adoption of open platform for container bookings in the maritime supply chain. Transp. Rese. Part E 141(C) (2020)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgment

This work was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation project Domain-Specific Conceptual Modeling for Distributed Ledger Technologies [196889].

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Digitalization and Information Systems Group, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, CH, Switzerland

    Simon Curty, Felix Härer & Hans-Georg Fill

Authors
  1. Simon Curty
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Felix Härer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Hans-Georg Fill
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Simon Curty .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. The University of Melbourne, Carlton, VIC, Australia

    Adriano Augusto

  2. University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia

    Asif Gill

  3. TU Wien, Vienna, Austria

    Dominik Bork

  4. University Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne, Paris, France

    Selmin Nurcan

  5. University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel

    Iris Reinhartz-Berger

  6. Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften München, Munich, Germany

    Rainer Schmidt

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Curty, S., Härer, F., Fill, HG. (2022). Blockchain Application Development Using Model-Driven Engineering and Low-Code Platforms: A Survey. In: Augusto, A., Gill, A., Bork, D., Nurcan, S., Reinhartz-Berger, I., Schmidt, R. (eds) Enterprise, Business-Process and Information Systems Modeling. BPMDS EMMSAD 2022 2022. Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing, vol 450. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-07475-2_14

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-07475-2_14

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-07474-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-07475-2

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation