Computational reflection provides the developers with a programming mechanism devoted to favorite code extensibility, reuse and maintenance. Notwithstanding that, it has not achieved developers' unanimous acceptance and its full potential yet. In our opinion, this depends on the intrinsic complexity of most of the reflective approaches that hinders their efficient implementation. The aim of this paper consists of defining the essence of reflection, that is, to identify the minimal set of characteristics that a software system must have to be considered reflective. The consequence is the realization of a run-time environment supporting the essence of reflection without affecting the programming language and with a minimal impact on the programming system design. This achievement will improve reflective system performances reducing the impact of one of the most diffuse criticism about reflection: low performance.
Implementing the Essence of Reflection : a Reflective Run-Time Environment / M. Ancona, W. Cazzola - In: Proceedings of the 2004 ACM Symposium on Applied Computing (SAC) : Nicosia, Cyprus, March 14-17, 2004 / [a cura di] Lorie M. Liebrock. - New York : ACM Press, 2004. - ISBN 1581138121. - pp. 1503-1507 (( convegno ACM Symposium on Applied Computing tenutosi a Nicosia, Cyprus nel 2004.
Implementing the Essence of Reflection : a Reflective Run-Time Environment
W. CazzolaUltimo
2004
Abstract
Computational reflection provides the developers with a programming mechanism devoted to favorite code extensibility, reuse and maintenance. Notwithstanding that, it has not achieved developers' unanimous acceptance and its full potential yet. In our opinion, this depends on the intrinsic complexity of most of the reflective approaches that hinders their efficient implementation. The aim of this paper consists of defining the essence of reflection, that is, to identify the minimal set of characteristics that a software system must have to be considered reflective. The consequence is the realization of a run-time environment supporting the essence of reflection without affecting the programming language and with a minimal impact on the programming system design. This achievement will improve reflective system performances reducing the impact of one of the most diffuse criticism about reflection: low performance.Pubblicazioni consigliate
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