Regular Types for Active Objects

Nierstrasz, Oscar (1995). Regular Types for Active Objects. In: Nierstrasz, Oscar; Tsichritzis, Dennis (eds.) Object-Oriented Software Composition (pp. 99-121). Prentice-Hall

Text Nier95dRegularTypes.pdf - Published Version Restricted to registered users only Available under License Publisher holds Copyright. Download (198kB)

Previous work on type-theoretic foundations for object-oriented programming languages has mostly focused on applying or extending functional type theory to functional "objects." This approach, while benefiting from a vast body of existing literature, has the disadvantage of dealing with state change either in a roundabout way or not at all, and completely sidestepping issues of concurrency. In particular, dynamic issues of non-uniform service availability and conformance to protocols are not addressed by functional types. We propose a new type framework that characterizes objects as regular (finite state) processes that provide guarantees of service along public channels. We also propose a new notion of subtyping for active objects, based on Brinksma's notion of extension, that extends Wegner and Zdonik's "principle of substitutability" to non-uniform service availability. Finally, we formalize what it means to "satisfy a client's expectations," and we show how regular types can be used to tell when sequential or concurrent clients are satisfied.

Interest & Impact

Downloads

0 since deposited on 29 Jan 2018
0 in the past 12 months

Citations

5 Citations in Web of Science ®
6 Citations in Scopus

Search

in Google Scholar™

Services

Actions (login required)

Edit item

Actions (login required)

Edit item