Chrysalis: A Database Schema Code Generator and Life-Cycle Management Tool

Mission

Develop a java-based tool that manages the life-cycle of the database schema and generates code and documentation artifacts. The tool transforms an XML description of a database schema into an HTML data dictionary, SQL scripts to create the database, and Java data access code. The tool automatically updates the documentation, scripts, and code as the schema is changed and updated. The tool also provides a simple but powerful data access programming model and framework for developing custom data access code. The generated Java code conforms to the Data Access Object (DAO) and Value Object (AKA Data Transfer Object) patterns that are described in the J2EE Java Blueprints.
Goals
- Produce a tool that manages the full lifecycle of the database schema. It does this by:
Representing the schema in a database-independent XML format.
Generating HTML documentation, SQL DDL scripts, and Java code from the XML.
Providing modules to manage schema changes and update the generated artifacts.
- Produce a DB code generator that produces about 80% of the code, scripts, and docs needed for any large-scale data access subsystem.
- Provide a database access program model and framework that simplifies the production of the remaining 20% of the code as well as being the foundation of the generated code.
- Provide efficient access to database schema meta-data at runtime.
- Produce highly efficient Java and SQL code that can be executed with a minimum of overhead.