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European Conference on Object-Oriented Programming

ECOOP 2013: ECOOP 2013 – Object-Oriented Programming pp 27–51Cite as

Feature-Oriented Programming with Object Algebras

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Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNPSE,volume 7920))

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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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National University of Singapore, Singapore

    Bruno C. d. S. Oliveira

  2. Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI), The Netherlands

    Tijs van der Storm

  3. University of Texas, Austin, USA

    Alex Loh & William R. Cook

Authors
  1. Bruno C. d. S. Oliveira
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  2. Tijs van der Storm
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  3. Alex Loh
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  4. William R. Cook
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. CNRS, PPS - Université Paris Diderot, Case 7014, 75205, Paris Cedex 13, France

    Giuseppe Castagna

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Oliveira, B.C.d.S., van der Storm, T., Loh, A., Cook, W.R. (2013). Feature-Oriented Programming with Object Algebras. In: Castagna, G. (eds) ECOOP 2013 – Object-Oriented Programming. ECOOP 2013. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 7920. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-39038-8_2

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

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-39037-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-39038-8

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