Configuration support for feature models with soft constraints

Traditional feature models may include hard domain constraints that must be upheld in all valid configurations. Soft constraints may however be used to enhance the expressiveness of feature models by allowing non-mandatory relations between features to be expressed. One advantage of including soft constraints in feature models is the opportunity to offer improved configuration support. We describe automated configuration techniques for feature models annotated with soft constraints. These techniques allow configuration suggestions to be extracted from soft constraints, even if inconsistencies among multiple soft constraints arise.