The Dynamic Languageis not Enough

Lukas Renggli

Static Software

Static Software

Constant

Static Software

Constant

Fixed

Static Software

Constant

FixedFinal

Dynamic Software

Dynamic Software

Adaptive

Dynamic Software

Adaptive

Extensible

Dynamic Software

Adaptive

Customizable

Extensible

StaticLanguage

DynamicLanguage

Static

Softw

are

Dyn

amic

Softw

are

:-(

StaticLanguage

DynamicLanguage

Static

Softw

are

Dyn

amic

Softw

are

:-(

:-|

StaticLanguage

DynamicLanguage

Static

Softw

are

Dyn

amic

Softw

are

:-|

StaticLanguage

Dyn

amic

Softw

are

:-|

StaticLanguage

Dyn

amic

Softw

are

:-(

:-|

StaticLanguage

DynamicLanguage

Static

Softw

are

Dyn

amic

Softw

are

:-(

:-|

:-S

StaticLanguage

DynamicLanguage

Static

Softw

are

Dyn

amic

Softw

are

:-S

DynamicLanguage

Static

Softw

are

no support

easier

can always get

away with reflection

faster

don’t know how to do it

too complex

out-of-the-box

:-(

:-|

:-S

:-)

StaticLanguage

DynamicLanguage

Static

Softw

are

Dyn

amic

Softw

are

:-)

DynamicLanguage

Dyn

amic

Softw

are

1

Subclassing

2

Extending

3

Meta-Modeling

4

Meta Meta-Modeling

5

Composing

6

Transforming

Subclassing

2

Extending

3

Meta-Modeling

4

Meta Meta-Modeling

5

Composing

6

Transforming

Subclassing Extending

3

Meta-Modeling

4

Meta Meta-Modeling

5

Composing

6

Transforming

Subclassing Extending

Meta-Modeling

4

Meta Meta-Modeling

5

Composing

6

Transforming

Subclassing Extending

Meta-Modeling Meta Meta-Modeling

5

Composing

6

Transforming

Subclassing Extending

Meta-Modeling Meta Meta-Modeling

Composing

6

Transforming

Subclassing Extending

Meta-Modeling Meta Meta-Modeling

Composing TransformingHe vetia

1Subclassing

The framework for developing sophisticated web applications in Smalltalk

Add new functionality by adding a new subclass.

WAComponent

renderContentOn:

WAComponent

renderContentOn:

MyComponent

renderContentOn:

Template Method

ExtensibleCustomizable

Adaptable

WAToolPlugin

labelexecute

WANewSession... WATiming...

WAToolPlugin

labelexecute

...

WAToolPlugin

labelexecuteallPlugins

self  allSubclassescollect:  [  :each  |  each  new  ]

WAHaloPlugin

labelexecuteallPlugins

self  allSubclassescollect:  [  :each  |  each  new  ]

Discussion

‣ Template Method Pattern

‣ Simple

‣ Lightweight

‣ Portable

‣ No extra infrastructure

Other Users

‣ Monticello Repository Types

‣ OmniBrowser Commands

‣ Code Critics Rules

‣ TextLint Rules (later today)

‣ Pier Commands, Views, Structures

‣ Magritte Description Types

2Extending

Add new functionality by adding a new method.

menuCommandOn:  aBuilder   <worldMenu>

  (aBuilder  item:  'Shout  Workspace')     parent:  #Tools;     action:  [  self  open  ]

menuCommandOn:  aBuilder   <worldMenu>

  (aBuilder  item:  'Shout  Workspace')     parent:  #Tools;     action:  [  self  open  ]

PragmaCollector  allSystemPragmas      select:  [  :each  |  each  keyword  =  #worldMenu  ]

}

Discussion

‣ Simple

‣ Lightweight

‣ Long utility methods

‣ Encourages class-extensions

Alternatives to Pragmas

‣ Naming convention for selector names

‣ Naming convention for protocol names

‣ All methods of a specific class

Other Users

‣ Pier Value Links

‣ Pharo Compiler Primitives, System Settings

‣ OmniBrowser Commands, Obsolete Commands, and Browser Meta-Model

3Meta-Modeling

Create a first-class description of the domain.

Environment

Environment Category

Environment Category

Environment

Class

Comment

Metaclass

Category

Environment

Class

Comment

MetaclassProtocol

CategoryAllProtocol

Environment

Class

Comment

MetaclassProtocol

MethodCategoryAllProtocol

OB-Web

OB-Mars

Discussion

‣ UI independent

‣ Domain-specific reflection

‣ Extensible using subclassing/extending

‣ Can cause meta-confusion

‣ Can be limiting or slow

Other Users

‣ GLORP Relational Object Mapping

‣ Glamour Browser Model

‣ Monticello Code Model

‣ Announcement Event Model

‣ Magritte Meta-Model

4Meta Meta-Modeling

Create a first-class description of the description of the

domain.

Address Object

street = 'Schützenmattstrasse'plz = 3012place = 'Bern'canton = 'Bern'

:Address

Address Description

street = 'Schützenmattstrasse'plz = 3012place = 'Bern'canton = 'Bern'

:Address

label = 'Street'

:StringDescription

label = 'PLZ'required = truerange = 1000..9999

:NumberDescription

label = 'Place'required = true

:StringDescription

label = 'Canton'required = truesorted = trueoptions = #( 'Bern' 'Zurich' ... )

:SingleOptionDescription

label = 'Address'

:Containerdescription

result  :=  anAddress  asMorph   addButtons;   addWindow;   callInWorld

Morphic Interpreter

result  :=  self  call:  (anAddress  asComponent   addValidatedForm;   yourself).

Seaside Interpreter

*

**

Other “Interpreters”‣ Viewer building

‣ Editor building

‣ Report building

‣ Documentation

‣ Data validation

‣ Query processing

‣ Object filtering

‣ Object serialization

‣ Object copying

‣ Object indexing

‣ Object initialization

‣ Object extension

‣ Object adaption

‣ Object customization

and much more ...

Domain Model

Metamodel

Meta-

Metamodel

<described-by>

<described-by>

Developer

End User

Domain Model

Metamodel

Meta-

Metamodel

Magritte

Developer

<described-by>

<described-by>

Magritte

End User

Component

TypeComponent

Property

TypeProperty

1 *

1

*

*1

*

1

Type Object

Type Object

(a) Type-Square

Object

Description

Typ

e

Ob

ject

*

*

descrip

tio

n

attributes

1 *

(b) MagritteComponent

TypeComponent

Property

TypeProperty

1 *

1

*

*1

*

1

Type Object

Type Object

(a) Type-Square

Object

Description

Typ

e

Ob

ject

*

*

descrip

tio

n

attributes

1 *

(b) Magritte

Component

TypeComponent

Property

TypeProperty

1 *

1

*

*1

*

1

Type Object

Type Object

(a) Type-Square

Object

Description

Typ

e

Ob

ject

*

*

descrip

tio

n

attributes

1 *

(b) Magritte

Component

TypeComponent

Property

TypeProperty

1 *

1

*

*1

*

1

Type Object

Type Object

(a) Type-Square

Object

Description

Typ

e

Ob

ject

*

*

descrip

tio

n

attributes

1 *

(b) Magritte

Component

TypeComponent

Property

TypeProperty

1 *

1

*

*1

*

1

Type Object

Type Object

(a) Type-Square

Object

Description

Typ

e

Ob

ject

*

*

descrip

tio

n

attributes

1 *

(b) MagritteComponent

TypeComponent

Property

TypeProperty

1 *

1

*

*1

*

1

Type Object

Type Object

(a) Type-Square

Object

Description

Typ

e

Ob

ject

*

*

descrip

tio

n

attributes

1 *

(b) Magritte

Component

TypeComponent

Property

TypeProperty

1 *

1

*

*1

*

1

Type Object

Type Object

(a) Type-Square

Object

Description

Typ

e

Ob

ject

*

*

descrip

tio

n

attributes

1 *

(b) Magritte

Component

TypeComponent

Property

TypeProperty

1 *

1

*

*1

*

1

Type Object

Type Object

(a) Type-Square

Object

Description

Typ

e

Ob

ject

*

*

descrip

tio

n

attributes

1 *

(b) Magritte

Component

TypeComponent

Property

TypeProperty

1 *

1

*

*1

*

1

Type Object

Type Object

(a) Type-Square

Object

Description

Typ

e

Ob

ject

*

*

descrip

tio

n

attributes

1 *

(b) MagritteComponent

TypeComponent

Property

TypeProperty

1 *

1

*

*1

*

1

Type Object

Type Object

(a) Type-Square

Object

Description

Typ

e

Ob

ject

*

*

descrip

tio

n

attributes

1 *

(b) Magritte

Component

TypeComponent

Property

TypeProperty

1 *

1

*

*1

*

1

Type Object

Type Object

(a) Type-Square

Object

Description

Typ

e

Ob

ject

*

*

descrip

tio

n

attributes

1 *

(b) Magritte

Component

TypeComponent

Property

TypeProperty

1 *

1

*

*1

*

1

Type Object

Type Object

(a) Type-Square

Object

Description

Typ

e

Ob

ject

*

*

descrip

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n

attributes

1 *

(b) Magritte

Adaptive Object Model

Run-time

End userscustomizability

Demo

Discussion

‣ Very powerful and flexible

‣ Runtime adaptive code

‣ End-user programmable code

‣ Can cause meta meta-confusion

‣ Can be slow

Other Users

‣ Gjallar Issue Tracker

‣ DabbleDB Online Database

5Composing

Build something new by composing existing

parts.

scanIdentifier self step. ((currentCharacter between: $A and: $Z) or: [ currentCharacter between: $a and: $z ]) ifTrue: [ [ self recordMatch: #IDENTIFIER. self step. (currentCharacter between: $0 and: $9)or: [ (currentCharacter between: $A and: $Z) or: [ currentCharacter between: $a and: $z ] ] ] whileTrue. ^ self reportLastMatch ]

#(#[1 0 9 0 25 0 13 0 34 0 17 0 40 0 21 0 41] #[1 0 9 0 25 0 13 0 34 0 93 0 76 0 157 0 112] #[1 2 38 0 21 2 38 0 25 2 38 0 26 0 13 0 34] #[0 1 154 0 16 0 21 0 25 0 26 0 34 0 40 0 41] #[0 1 210 0 76 0 81] #[0 1 214 0 76 0 81] #[1 0 173 0 76 0 177 0 81] #[0 1 134 0 16 0 21 0 25 0 26 0 34 0 40 0 41] #[1 1 46 0 21 1 46 0 25 1 46 0 26 1 69] #[1 1 54 0 21 1 54 0 25 1 54 0 26 1 54 0 34] #[0 2 102 0 21 0 25 0 26 0 34 0 40 0 41 0 76]

#[0 2 50 0 21 0 25 0 26 0 76 0 79] #[1 1 13 0 76 2 85 0 124 1 21 0 125] #[1 2 89 0 17 2 30 0 21 2 30 0 82] #[1 2 93 0 21 2 97 0 82] )

ScannerlessParser Combinator

a..z a..z

0..9

ID  ::=  letter  {  letter  |  digit  }  ;

letter

letter digit

sequence

choice

many

ID  ::=  letter  {  letter  |  digit  }  ;

letter

letter digit

sequence

choice

many

id  :=  #letter  ,  (#letter  /  #digit)  star

letter

letter digit

sequence

choice

many

id  :=  #letter  asParser  ,  (#letter  asParser  /  #digit  asParser)  star

Smalltalk

+ SQL Language

+ Regular Expression

= Customized Smalltalk

Discussion

‣ The LEGO model

‣ New parts can be easily created

‣ Smalltalk provides elegant composition with binary operators

Other Users

‣ Brazil Widgets in Newspeak

‣ Seaside and Pier Widgets

‣ Refactoring Engine Change Objects

6Transforming

He vetia

Build something new by transforming existing

parts.

LanguageScope

LanguageConcern

LanguageChange

LanguageBox

Language Scope

Active?

Language Scope

‣ System

‣ Packages

‣ Classes

‣ Methods

Language Scope

Language Concern

Semantics

Language Concern

Transformation

Language Concern

Context Menus

Navigation Search

Code Expansion

Code Completion

Error Correction

Custom Inspector

Refactorings

Code Folding

Highlighting

Code Execution

Language Change

Syntax

Language Change

Smalltalk

Language Change

Smalltalk

+ SQL Language

Language Change

Smalltalk

+ SQL Language

+ Regular Expression

Smalltalk

+ SQL Language

+ Regular Expression

= Custom Host Language

Language Change

Demo

Discussion

‣ Very generic and powerful

‣ Usually requires extra infrastructure (for example Helvetia)

‣ Might be difficult to learn and apply

Other Users

‣ Refactoring Engine Rewrite Rules

‣ Compiler Hacks (ok, not really)

‣ XML, XSD Transformations

‣ SOUL, IntensiVE

?Anything Else?

‣ Subclassing

‣ Extending

‣ Meta-Modeling

‣ Meta Meta-Modeling

‣ Composing

‣ Transforming}How to make “tools”

and “languages” extensible?

How to make the “object model” extensible?

AlbedoJorge Ressia

Object

Class

Object

StructuralMeta-object

Class

Object

StructuralMeta-object

Class

BehavioralMeta-object

:-(

:-|

:-S

:-)

StaticLanguage

DynamicLanguage

Static

Softw

are

Dyn

amic

Softw

are

:-)lukas-renggli.ch

@renggli

Dynamic Software