Observers and Assistants:
	   A Proposal for Modular Aspect-Oriented Reasoning
				  by
		  Curtis Clifton and Gary T. Leavens

                               Abstract

In general, aspect-oriented programs require a whole-program analysis
to understand the semantics of a single method invocation.
This property makes reasoning difficult, impeding maintenance
efforts, contrary to a stated goal of aspect-oriented programming.
We propose some simple modifications to AspectJ that permit modular
reasoning. This eliminates the need for whole-program analysis
and makes code easier to understand and maintain.

Keywords: Observers, assistants, aspect-oriented programming
languages, modular reasoning, specification, composition,
AspectJ language, Java language, JML language, MultiJava language. 

2002 CR Categories:
 D.3.3 [Programming Languages]
         Language Constructs and Features ---
           classes and objects, control structures, inheritance, modules,
           packages, procedures, functions, and subroutines, advice, observers,
           assistants, aspects;
 D.3.2 [Programming Languages]
         Language Classifications ---
         object-oriented languages, multiparadigm languages, AspectJ, JML;
 D.1.5 [Programming Techniques]
         Object-oriented programming --- aspect-oriented programming;
 D.3.1 [Programming Languages]
         Formal Definitions and Theory --- semantics. 

Copyright (c) Curtis Clifton and Gary T. Leavens, 2002. All rights reserved.