Abstract: Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for providing pluggable model elements. A modeling application is provided that is operable to allow custom model elements to be loaded. Custom behavior can be associated with the custom model element types in a modular fashion that allows custom behaviors to be plugged in. The modeling application interacts with an artifact mapper to automatically synchronize a particular model in the modeling application with an underlying one or more artifacts represented by the particular model. Events are intercepted between model elements and underlying artifacts that the model elements represent. As events are intercepted, one or more appropriate provider plug-ins are called to perform one or more associated actions. A user who toggles between a modeling application and an artifact source application is provided with a seamless viewing experience because the model elements and underlying artifacts are kept up to date with each other.

Abstract: Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for providing a software development application that supports development using a top-down approach. The user creates a high-level system design for a system in the top-down design software development application. The user describes a behavior of the system by attaching technology-neutral original system endpoints and respective contracts to a plurality of system components. The user delegates each original system endpoint to a member endpoint of a corresponding technology-specific member component. The user supplies a concrete implementation for each of the corresponding technology-specific member components. Throughout this iterative development process, the high level system design is preserved.

Abstract: Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for providing pluggable model elements. A modeling application is provided that is operable to allow custom model elements to be loaded. Custom behavior can be associated with the custom model element types in a modular fashion that allows custom behaviors to be plugged in. The modeling application interacts with an artifact mapper to automatically synchronize a particular model in the modeling application with an underlying one or more artifacts represented by the particular model. Events are intercepted between model elements and underlying artifacts that the model elements represent. As events are intercepted, one or more appropriate provider plug-ins are called to perform one or more associated actions. A user who toggles between a modeling application and an artifact source application is provided with a seamless viewing experience because the model elements and underlying artifacts are kept up to date with each other.

Abstract: Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for providing a software development application that supports development using a top-down approach. The user creates a high-level system design for a system in the top-down design software development application. The user describes a behavior of the system by attaching technology-neutral original system endpoints and respective contracts to a plurality of system components. The user delegates each original system endpoint to a member endpoint of a corresponding technology-specific member component. The user supplies a concrete implementation for each of the corresponding technology-specific member components. Throughout this iterative development process, the high level system design is preserved.