Controlling the Complexity of Software Designs

  • Authors:
  • Karl J. Lieberherr

  • Affiliations:
  • Northeastern University

  • Venue:
  • Proceedings of the 26th International Conference on Software Engineering
  • Year:
  • 2004

Quantified Score

Hi-index 0.00

Visualization

Abstract

Our research has focused on identifying techniquesto develop software that is amenable to refactoring andchange. The Law of Demeter (LoD) was one contributionin this effort. But it led to other problems. With thecurrent state of the art focused on Aspect-Oriented SoftwareDevelopment (AOSD), it is useful to revisit thegeneral objectives of the LoD and adapt it to the newideas. Hence we introduce the Law of Demeter for Concernsand discuss the important intersection of these approacheswith traversals. We explore the ramifications ofthe Laws of Demeter (LoD and LoDC) to achieve betterseparation of concerns through improved software processes.They are supported by language mechanisms thatare implemented using novel applications of automata theory.A revised version of this paper and the slides are availablefrom the Demeter website:http://www.ccs.neu.edu/research/demeterin the directory papers/icse-04-keynote/