Concurrent object-oriented development with behavioral design patterns (1212.5491v1)

Abstract: The development of concurrent applications is challenging because of the complexity of concurrent designs and the hazards of concurrent programming. Architectural modeling using the Unified Modeling Language (UML) can support the development process, but the problem of mapping the model to a concurrent implementation remains. This paper addresses this problem by defining a scheme to map concurrent UML designs to a concurrent object-oriented program. Using the COMET method for the architectural design of concurrent object-oriented systems, each component and connector is annotated with a stereotype indicating its behavioral design pattern. For each of these patterns, a reference implementation is provided using SCOOP, a concurrent object-oriented programming model. We evaluate this development process using a case study of an ATM system, obtaining a fully functional implementation based on the systematic mapping of the individual patterns. Given the strong execution guarantees of the SCOOP model, which is free of data races by construction, this development method eliminates a source of intricate concurrent programming errors.

• The paper introduces a novel UML-to-SCOOP mapping that systematically mitigates common concurrency hazards such as data races.
• It leverages behavioral design patterns to clearly define component roles and communication mechanisms in concurrent systems.
• A comprehensive ATM case study validates the method's effectiveness in achieving a data-race-free, fully functional implementation.

Concurrent Object-Oriented Development with Behavioral Design Patterns

The paper "Concurrent object-oriented development with behavioral design patterns" tackles the intricate task of developing concurrent applications using Unified Modeling Language (UML), in conjunction with the COMET method, to guide the architectural design of concurrent object-oriented systems. The authors propose a novel methodology that bridges the gap between architectural modeling and concurrent implementation, ensuring that the resulting applications are free from common concurrency issues like data races.

Key Contributions

This research introduces a systematic approach to translate UML designs into a concurrent object-oriented program using SCOOP (Simple Concurrent Object-Oriented Programming). The methodology is anchored on behavioral design patterns, which streamline the tackling of the dynamic interactions inherent in concurrent systems. The primary contributions are multifaceted:

1. Mapping UML to SCOOP: The paper establishes well-defined mappings for the various architectural and behavioral components depicted in UML diagrams to their concurrent implementations in SCOOP. This process is reliant on the assignment of specific stereotypes to components and connectors, indicating their intended concurrency roles and communication mechanisms.
2. Behavioral Design Patterns: It articulates both structural patterns, which define component roles within the software architecture, and communication patterns, which delineate the nature of message-passing among components. Examples of these include asynchronous and synchronous communication patterns, which are pertinent to both distributed and non-distributed systems.
3. Case Study Evaluation: The efficacy of the proposed development process is demonstrated through a comprehensive case paper involving an ATM system. This case paper extensively covers the application of connector communication patterns and component structuring, resulting in a data-race-free and fully functional implementation.
4. SCOOP's Guarantees: By employing SCOOP for implementation, the derived programs inherently possess the advantageous properties of this concurrency model, notably its absence of data races and built-in mechanisms to prevent deadlocks.

Numerical Results and Claims

The implementation evaluation in the paper showcases that the ATM system case paper successfully reflects all important connector and component patterns outlined in the methodology. The use of SCOOP ensures that the system implementation is devoid of concurrency errors typically hard to isolate and fix in other concurrent programming models. Such strong execution guarantees are a significant aspect of the paper, though specific numerical benchmarks or performance metrics are not detailed.

Implications

The proposed development method has pivotal implications for both theoretical and practical domains:

• Theoretical Implications: The formalization of mapping concurrent object-oriented models to specific implementation paradigms advances the theoretical foundation of concurrent software design, facilitating more robust methods that guarantee safe execution by design.
• Practical Implications: Practically, the methodology allows developers to leverage familiar UML methodologies, thus lowering the barrier to implementing complex concurrent systems without a steep learning curve for concurrent programming intricacies.

Looking towards the future, the framework proposed could inspire further advancements in automated tools that assist in translating UML designs directly to executable code, thereby enhancing usability and adoption in industry settings. Moreover, extending the methodology to encompass additional distributed patterns, including event-based and transaction-based patterns, remains a promising area for ongoing research and development.

In essence, the research encapsulated in this paper offers a structured pathway from high-level design to detailed concurrent application implementation, reducing both the complexity and potential errors involved in developing such systems. This contribution provides a pivotal step toward integrating rigorous concurrency into mainstream software development processes.