Described is a method, system and data structures to logically separate
the notations from the semantics of model element objects into separate
code components, and to enable subsequent re-association of a selected
notation with a selected semantic. Various notations and semantics from
different providers may be combined. The invention may be implemented in
a Visual Modeling Framework which defines the API set and/or interfaces
to which the semantic and notation objects conform, and allows a notation
and a semantic to be plugged into each other to create a model element,
thereby allowing pluggable notations and pluggable semantics. A paradigm
server may load a selected semantic and notation component, combine them,
and present the combination to the framework as a model element. The
paradigm server may be a pluggable component, having specialized
knowledge for validating whether a semantic object can be used in a
paradigm and combined with a notation.