Abstract
Category theory has been widely used in computer science, but usually in a very sophisticated manner. This paper argues that elementary category theoretic notions can have important value in the “real world” of software engineering. Perhaps the most elementary categorical notion is that of commutative diagram. Drawing on experience from several applications of category theory to information modelling in major business enterprises we show how commutative diagrams have been used to develop new methodologies in ER-modelling, constraint specification and process modelling. They also suggest new but as yet untested techniques for information model partitioning and information system architecture. The methodologies described here have a firm theoretical basis using the recently isolated theory of lextensive categories and this basis is briefly outlined.
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© 1994 British Computer Society
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Johnson, M., Dampney, C.N.G. (1994). On the value of commutative diagrams in information modelling. In: Nivat, M., Rattray, C., Rus, T., Scollo, G. (eds) Algebraic Methodology and Software Technology (AMAST’93). Workshops in Computing. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-3227-1_5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-3227-1_5
Publisher Name: Springer, London
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-19852-9
Online ISBN: 978-1-4471-3227-1
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