A Thought on Specification Reflection
				  by
	 Yoonsik Cheon, Yoshiki Hayashi, and Gary T. Leavens

			       Abstract

In programming languages, reflection is the ability to discover and
manipulate, at runtime, information about program entities, such as
objects.  We present our thoughts on extending the concept of
reflection to behavioral interface specifications. We explain the
benefits of such specification reflection, and discuss implementation
approaches, support tools, and research problems and issues in this area.

Keywords: Specification reflection, specification introspection, reflective
specification execution, specification object, specification class object,
JML language.

2001 CR Categories:
 D.2.1 [Software Engineering] Requirements/Specifications -- languages, JML;
 D.2.4 [Software Engineering] Software/Program Verification --
        assertion checkers, class
        invariants, formal methods, programming by contract;
 F.3.1 [Logics and Meanings of Programs] Specifying and Verifying and
       Reasoning about Programs -- Assertions, invariants,
       pre- and post-conditions, specification techniques.

Submitted for publication.