Concepts and their Use for Modelling Objects and References in Programming Languages

TL;DR

The paper introduces 'concepts', a new programming construct pairing reference and object classes, forming the basis of concept-oriented programming (CoP), which emphasizes indirect object access and hierarchical reference structures.

Contribution

It proposes a novel programming paradigm, concept-oriented programming, replacing traditional classes with concepts that manage object references and hierarchies.

Findings

Concepts enable hierarchical reference spaces with virtual addressing.

CoP supports reference resolution, complex references, and method interception.

The approach offers new mechanisms for object lifecycle and polymorphism.

Abstract

In the paper a new programming construct, called concept, is introduced. Concept is pair of two classes: a reference class and an object class. Instances of the reference classes are passed-by-value and are intended to represent objects. Instances of the object class are passed-by-reference. An approach to programming where concepts are used instead of classes is called concept-oriented programming (CoP). In CoP objects are represented and accessed indirectly by means of references. The structure of concepts describes a hierarchical space with a virtual address system. The paper describes this new approach to programming including such mechanisms as reference resolution, complex references, method interception, dual methods, life-cycle management inheritance and polymorphism.