Isn product line practice just another name for component-based development?
Software product lines certainly rely on a form of component-based development. The typical definition of component-based development involves the selection of components from a library or the marketplace to build products. Though the products in software product lines certainly are composed of components, these components are all specified by the product line architecture. Moreover, the components are assembled in a prescribed way; the prescription comes both from the architecture and the production plan. Software product lines involve the strategic use of components. Component-based development usually is missing such a strategic and systematic approach.
Software product lines certainly rely on a form of component-based development. Component-based development as it is typically defined involves the selection of components from a library or the marketplace to build products. Though the products in software product lines certainly are composed of components, these components are all specified by the product line architecture. Moreover, the components are assembled in a prescribed way; the prescription comes both from the architecture and the production plan. Software product lines involve the strategic use of components. Component-based development usually is missing such a strategic and systematic approach.