Enhanced Type-based Component Compatibility Using Deployment Context Information

  • Authors:

  • Premek Brada

  • Affiliations:

  • Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of West Bohemia, Pilsen, Czech Republic

  • Venue:
  • Electronic Notes in Theoretical Computer Science (ENTCS)
  • Year:
  • 2011

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Abstract

Consistency and compatibility in component-based applications have been the subject of many methods and approaches, from formally sound ones with difficult practical implementation to pragmatic rules for comparing version meta-data which offer only weak guarantees. This is especially true of many industrial component frameworks in routine use. In this paper we contribute a formal description of a method which ensures application run-time type consistency, by performing type-based substitutability checks as part of the component binding and update processes. The method takes into account the environment of the currently deployed component version and uses its so-called contextual complement in the checks. This novel approach overcomes the limitations of the standard notion of compatibility by allowing non-contravariant differences on the required side of the component@?s surface. The method was successfully implemented for the OSGi component framework, and in later parts of the paper we share the experiences gained through the implementation.