Modeling languages are defined with a meta-model, which are specified using the meta-modeling tools that produce the editors for specifying models in accordance with the meta-models. In this paper, we aim to understand the top-used meta-modeling tools and practitioners’ expectations and challenges with respect to different requirements. So, we designed and conducted a survey, which was responded by 103 practitioners. The questionnaire considers the notation, semantics, editor services, model-transformation, validation, testing, and composability requirements. Some of the results are as follows: the top-used meta-modeling tools are Sirius and GEMS, Metaedit+, Xtext, and Microsoft DSL tools respectively. The top-preferred language visualizations are diagrammatic or textual. Practitioners prefer the editors with free-editing mode and are not familiar with projectional editing that promotes hybrid modeling. Translational semantics definition (i.e., model-to-model and model-to-text) is more popular than the interpretative semantics definition. Importing/exporting models and meta-models is highly important for facilitating the communication and collaboration. Modeling and meta-modeling with re-use and their versioning are among the top-desired features. Practitioners are willing to integrate any validation tools (e.g., model checkers) to define the languages’ semantical and structural validation rules and prove the model correctness. Lastly, defining the language semantics by composition and testing the semantics definitions are crucial for many practitioners. The survey also reveals many important challenges in each type of requirements. The survey results will be useful for meta-modelers in analyzing the meta-modeling tools and tool vendors in learning practitioners’ expectations.

建模语言是使用元模型定义的，元模型是使用元模型工具指定的，该元模型工具会生成用于根据元模型指定模型的编辑器。在本文中，我们旨在了解最常用的元建模工具以及从业人员对不同需求的期望和挑战。因此，我们设计并进行了一项调查，得到103位从业者的答复。该问卷考虑了符号，语义，编辑器服务，模型转换，验证，测试和可组合性要求。结果如下：顶级使用的元建模工具分别是Sirius和GEMS，Metaedit +，Xtext和Microsoft DSL工具。首选的语言可视化是图表或文本。从业者更喜欢具有自由编辑模式的编辑器，并且不熟悉促进混合建模的投影编辑。翻译语义定义（即，模型到模型和模型到文本）比解释性语义定义更受欢迎。导入/导出模型和元模型对于促进沟通和协作非常重要。重复使用及其版本控制的建模和元建模是最需要的功能。从业者愿意集成任何验证工具（例如，模型检查器）来定义语言的语义和结构验证规则，并证明模型的正确性。最后，通过组合来定义语言语义并测试语义定义对于许多从业者而言至关重要。该调查还揭示了每种类型需求中的许多重要挑战。调查结果对于元建模者分析元建模工具和工具供应商学习从业者的期望将很有用。