Refactoring Object-oriented programs with Aspect-oriented concepts
Refactoring is a technique to improve the internal structure of existing applications while preserving their external behaviour. The importance of refactoring as a contributor to software engineering and as a key component of test-driven development is increasingly being recognised.<P>
Aspect-Oriented (AO) programming is a new paradigm that provides stronger modularisation capabilities than those achieved by previous technologies, namely the modularisation of crosscutting concerns.<P>
AO refactoring is currently a research activity being undertaken by both university researchers and industry practitioners. Its purpose is to develop concepts and tools that enable the evolution of object-oriented legacy software into AO software and the smooth maintenance of existing AO software.<P>
This presentation provides an introduction to the concepts of refactoring and pinpoints its role in the context of test-driven development. It presents various issues that arise when refactoring is applied with the mechanims and concepts of aspect-orientation. The presentation concludes with a refactoring example, comprising the extraction of a crosscutting concern to aspects, and their subsequent tidying up.
