Aspect-Oriented Software Development (Advanced Software Development)

THE NEXT OFFERING OF THIS COURSE IS: FALL SEMESTER 2003. This course was formerly called Adaptive Object-Oriented Software Development: The Demeter Method. It was then renamed to Aspect-Oriented Software Development and for the purpose of the course description it is called Advanced Software Development because different people have different views of what Advanced Software Development should be. My view is that Aspect-Oriented Software Development is a very good approach to advanced software development and when I teach the course, it has the title Aspect-Oriented Software Development.

FALL SEMESTER 2003 COURSE INFORMATION (syllabus, course description, homeworks, projects, etc.)

WINTER 2003 COURSE INFORMATION (syllabus, course description, homeworks, projects, etc.)

FALL 2001 COURSE INFORMATION (syllabus, course description, homeworks, projects, etc.)

Emphasis on showing how Demeter ideas can be applied to software development with Java, UML and XML. The notion of a Demeter class dictionary is very close to the notion of an XML schema as well as to a UML class diagram.

The course is televised and video taped and can be ordered through NTU http://www.ntu.edu/ or Network Northeastern. Uses Java and tools for supporting adaptive programming, aspect-oriented programming and design patterns. UML modeling notation is used. Course requires Internet access and Java development tools on your computer. Java/design patterns/UML will be learned during the course. The only prerequisite is experience with Java or C++ equivalent to a two hour lab (see quiz below).

As in previous years, students can select work-related projects. Several students have integrated their work at their company with their course project for this course. The course is very well staffed. To help with individual projects there are two consultants (supported graduate students in the Demeter Research Project) who help you in applying Adaptive Object-Oriented Programming to your area of interest. The instructor suppervises all projects in collaboration with consultants. A success story which demonstrates this approach is a project at Hewlett-Packard.

The best way to prepare for the course before it starts is to learn about standard Java and XML technology. This will set up a practical context for the course and the connections to standard technology will be an important motivation for learning the concepts covered in the course.

Java.
Use your favorite Java book. Learn about the structure of the Java built-in collection classes. Study http://java.sun.com/products/jdk/1.2/docs/guide/collections/ and enough Java so that you understand the basics of the Java Collections Framework.

XML schemas.
Learn how to describe the structure of documents and objects in XML by learning the basics of a schema language: http://www.w3.org/TR/xmlschema-0/ . XML schemas are similar to class dictionaries that will be used in COM 3360. Study selected sections from http://www.ccs.neu.edu/research/demeter/biblio/dem-book.html so that you understand the basic structure of http://www.ccs.neu.edu/research/demeter/DemeterJava/use/generate.cd You don't need all the details.

XPath.
Study http://www.w3.org/TR/xpath to get a basic understanding of the XML navigation language called XPath. In COM 3360 we will use a subset of the XPath notation, namely the traversal specifications (also called propagation directives) described in http://www.ccs.neu.edu/research/demeter/biblio/dem-book.html

How to order the video taped version of the course: Contact Network Northeastern (NNU). Students can audit the course for about $600. If students want to receive lectures via videotape it will be an additional $100 for the quarter if they are not at one of the NNU company receive sites. They can register on line from the NNU web site, but if NNU needs to send them tapes they must call and arrange it with NNU. NNU's number is 617-373-5620 or email Mary Perkins (mperkins@neu.edu).

Date: Mon, 20 May 1996 15:49:38 -0400 (EDT)
To: demeter@ccs.neu.edu
Subject: Thanks for Demeter

The subject really gives it away. Thanks for Demeter.
A few weeks I stumbled across the book in a local bookstore and
it somehow drew my attention. Now after having studied it 
I find myself employing the philosophy in the projects I am doing.
...
I think this book for the first time provided really convincing material 
in favor of OO programming.
I especially like the structure-shyness of the approach.
...
Although I follow the methodology I am 
more than eager to use the tools. 
...