SUB-GRAPH INTERFACE GENERATION

A method for determining a graph interface (210), is provided. A specification (400) including a description of a first directed graph including a plurality of components (302A-302D) interconnected by directed links (306A-306D) is received by a computer. The computer (100) automatically forms the graph interface (210) for the first directed graph, the graph interface being a placeholder in a container graph to be replaced by an implementation that conforms to the graph interface prior to execution of the container graph. Automatically forming the graph interface (210) includes: analyzing the first directed graph to identify information for forming one or more interface elements of the graph interface (210), and forming the one or more interface elements, each of at least some interface elements of the one or more interface elements being associated with one or more properties including at least one of a metadata descriptor property or a direction of metadata propagation property; and for each of at least some interface elements of the one or more interface elements, analyzing the first directed graph to determine whether a value of the metadata descriptor property associated with the interface element is propagated to the interface element from the first directed graph or is propagated to the interface element from a second directed graph that is a container graph in which the graph interface is utilized, and configuring the direction of metadata propagation property for the interface element based on a result of the analysis. A corresponding computer program and system for performing the method are also provided.