Why the relational data model can be considered as a formal basis for group operations in object-oriented systems

TL;DR

This paper explores how the relational data model can serve as a formal foundation for group operations in object-oriented systems by combining principles from relational and object-oriented paradigms.

Contribution

It introduces a system integrating object-oriented concepts with the relational data model using principles of complex data encapsulation and data naming conventions.

Findings

The system supports complex objects with relation-based representations.

Names of relations and attributes are derived from object specifications.

The approach maintains relational properties within an object-oriented framework.

Abstract

Relational data model defines a specification of a type "relation". However, its simplicity does not mean that the system implementing this model must operate with structures having the same simplicity. We consider two principles allowing create a system which combines object-oriented paradigm (OOP) and relational data model (RDM) in one framework. The first principle -- "complex data in encapsulated domains" -- is well known from The Third Manifesto by Date and Darwen. The second principle --"data complexity in names"-- is the basis for a system where data are described as complex objects and uniquely represented as a set of relations. Names of these relations and names of their attributes are combinations of names entered in specifications of the complex objects. Below, we consider the main properties of such a system.