Article

Feature-Oriented programming with object algebras

Authors:

Bruno C. d. S. Oliveira,

Tijs van der Storm,

William R. CookAuthors Info & Claims

ECOOP'13: Proceedings of the 27th European conference on Object-Oriented Programming

Pages 27 - 51

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-39038-8_2

Published: 01 July 2013 Publication History

Abstract

Object algebras are a new programming technique that enables a simple solution to basic extensibility and modularity issues in programming languages. While object algebras excel at defining modular features, the composition mechanisms for object algebras (and features) are still cumbersome and limited in expressiveness. In this paper we leverage two well-studied type system features, intersection types and type-constructor polymorphism, to provide object algebras with expressive and practical composition mechanisms. Intersection types are used for defining expressive run-time composition operators (combinators) that produce objects with multiple (feature) interfaces. Type-constructor polymorphism enables generic interfaces for the various object algebra combinators. Such generic interfaces can be used as a type-safe front end for a generic implementation of the combinators based on reflection. Additionally, we also provide a modular mechanism to allow different forms of self-references in the presence of delegation-based combinators. The result is an expressive, type-safe, dynamic, delegation-based composition technique for object algebras, implemented in Scala, which effectively enables a form of Feature-Oriented Programming using object algebras.

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1. Software and its engineering
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cover image Guide Proceedings

ECOOP'13: Proceedings of the 27th European conference on Object-Oriented Programming

July 2013

731 pages

ISBN:9783642390371

Editor:
Giuseppe Castagna
CNRS, PPS - Université Paris Diderot, Case 7014, Paris Cedex 13, France

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Typesafe: Typesafe
BTelecom: Bouygues Telecom
IBMR: IBM Research
Microsoft Research: Microsoft Research
ORACLE: ORACLE

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Springer-Verlag

Berlin, Heidelberg

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Published: 01 July 2013

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