[Colloq] Johan Ovlinger: PhD Dissertation Defense, Monday, April 12

[Rachel Bates]

College of Computer and Information Science PhD Defense

Johan Ovlinger will speak on

Combining Aspects and Modules

Monday, April 12 2004
9am in Egan 206


ABSTRACT
We claim that it is not only possible---but also beneficial---to combine
powerful module constructs with aspect-oriented programming. Modules and
Aspects are different approaches to a common goal of constructing large,
complex software quickly. Unfortunately, neither is solely sufficient.

We demonstrate that the differences between modules and aspects are not
irreconcilable, and that a carefully crafted module system can co-exist
with aspect-oriented features. We show that it is possible to combine
the software-engineering features of module-systems with aspects'
abilities to modularize crosscutting behaviors. An alternate formulation
is that we show that combining aspects and modules makes modules easier
to write and aspects easier to understand.

An existence proof in the form of a prototype module system---Aspectual
Collaborations---is presented, combining separate compilation, modular
reasoning, and type safe reuse, with aspectual interception of behavior
from oblivious base modules. Thus, we present a system capable of
separate compilation and type-safe reuse of aspects. Type soundness is
shown to hold for a minimal model of the system.

By tempering the power of aspects with encapsulation boundaries
maintained by a module system, the desirable qualities of both can be
achieved, while tempering their respective weaknesses.