Enforced Dependencies for Active Objects

Abstract

We present an active object-based language that records required and provided method completions ahead of method invocations. With this language, a programmer can use method declarations to specify the dependencies between different types of tasks. The type system makes sure that the programmer declares how to fulfil the prerequisites. An operational semantics defines non-deterministic program execution with the necessary synchronisations.

We present the grammar, dynamic semantics in the form of operational semantics rules, and a rule-based type system that checks the dependencies. The absence of cyclic task dependency can be checked at the level of method declaration.