A small extension to Java for class refinement

Abstract

This paper presents an extended Java language in which users can refine a class definition to a certain degree. They can statically or dynamically redefine methods and append a new method, field, and interfaces to the class like dynamic languages. A unique feature of this language, named GluonJ, is that users can use a standard Java IDE (Integrated Development Environment) to exploit coding support by the IDE. This is significant for the industrial acceptability of a new language. A GluonJ program is written in standard Java with additional Java annotations. GluonJ was carefully designed so that the IDE can recognize a GluonJ program and reflect it on the coding support such as the code assist of Eclipse. Moreover, a GluonJ program never throws a runtime exception reporting that an undefined method is called. Guaranteeing this property is not straightforward because GluonJ allows users to refine a class definition at runtime.

Mostly modular compilation of crosscutting concerns by contextual predicate dispatch

“…The aim of this work was to allow programmers to flexibly control the construction of aspect instances. The second GluonJ published in [33] is more similar to GluonJ presented in this paper but it is a dynamic AOP language. The work focused on how to dynamically deploy intertype declarations.…”