The Dynamic Language is not Enough
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Most today's software is highly static, even if it is written in a dynamic language like Smalltalk. Developers are not encouraged to extend the frameworks they are using; and end-users are unable to change the features of their software without initiating a new development effort. In contrast, extensible software is designed for change; and customizable software can be adapted to new needs without requiring an in-depth knowledge of the underlying implementation domain. In this presentation I will investigate on how to write truly dynamic software and I will distill common patterns of software customizability. As running examples I present tools that I worked on during my path of discovering Smalltalk. One of these examples is Magritte, a dynamic meta-model that gives end-users the possibility to customize their applications without the need of an additional development effort. Another example is Helvetia, an infrastructure enabling on-the-fly customization of the programming language and development environment.
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The Dynamic Language is not Enough
- 1. The Dynamic Language is not Enough Lukas Renggli
- 20. :-S Dynamic Language Static Software no support easier can always get away with reflection faster don’t knowhow to do it too complex out-of-the-box
- 27. Subclassing Extending Meta-Modeling Meta Meta-Modeling 5 Composing 6 Transforming
- 28. Subclassing Extending Meta-Modeling Meta Meta-Modeling Composing 6 Transforming
- 29. Subclassing Extending Meta-Modeling Meta Meta-Modeling Composing Transforming He vetia
- 30. Subclassing
- 31. The framework for developing sophisticated web applications in Smalltalk
- 32. Add new functionality by adding a new subclass.
- 35. Template Method
- 40. WAToolPlugin label execute allPlugins self allSubclasses collect: [ :each | each new ]
- 42. WAHaloPlugin label execute allPlugins self allSubclasses collect: [ :each | each new ]
- 43. Discussion ‣ Template Method Pattern ‣ Simple ‣ Lightweight ‣ Portable ‣ No extra infrastructure
- 44. Other Users ‣ Monticello Repository Types ‣ OmniBrowser Commands ‣ Code Critics Rules ‣ TextLint Rules (later today) ‣ Pier Commands, Views, Structures ‣ Magritte Description Types
- 45. Extending
- 46. Add new functionality by adding a new method.
- 48. menuCommandOn: aBuilder <worldMenu> (aBuilder item: 'Shout Workspace') parent: #Tools; action: [ self open ]
- 49. menuCommandOn: aBuilder <worldMenu> (aBuilder item: 'Shout Workspace') parent: #Tools; action: [ self open ] PragmaCollector allSystemPragmas select: [ :each | each keyword = #worldMenu ] }
- 50. Discussion ‣ Simple ‣ Lightweight ‣ Long utility methods ‣ Encourages class-extensions
- 51. Alternatives to Pragmas ‣ Naming convention for selector names ‣ Naming convention for protocol names ‣ All methods of a specific class
- 52. Other Users ‣ Pier Value Links ‣ Pharo Compiler Primitives, System Settings ‣ OmniBrowser Commands, Obsolete Commands, and Browser Meta-Model
- 53. Meta-Modeling
- 54. Create a first-class description of the domain.
- 59. Environment
- 66. OB-Web
- 67. OB-Mars
- 68. Discussion ‣ UI independent ‣ Domain-specific reflection ‣ Extensible using subclassing/extending ‣ Can cause meta-confusion ‣ Can be limiting or slow
- 69. Other Users ‣ GLORP Relational Object Mapping ‣ Glamour Browser Model ‣ Monticello Code Model ‣ Announcement Event Model ‣ Magritte Meta-Model
- 71. Create a first-class description of the description of the domain.
- 72. Address Object street = 'Schützenmattstrasse' plz = 3012 place = 'Bern' canton = 'Bern' :Address
- 73. Address Description street = 'Schützenmattstrasse' plz = 3012 place = 'Bern' canton = 'Bern' :Address label = 'Street' :StringDescription label = 'PLZ' required = true range = 1000..9999 :NumberDescription label = 'Place' required = true :StringDescription label = 'Canton' required = true sorted = true options = #( 'Bern' 'Zurich' ... ) :SingleOptionDescription label = 'Address' :Containerdescription
- 74. result := anAddress asMorph addButtons; addWindow; callInWorld Morphic Interpreter
- 75. result := self call: (anAddress asComponent addValidatedForm; yourself). Seaside Interpreter * * *
- 76. 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 ...
- 79. Object Description Type Object * * description attributes 1 * (b) Magritteonent Object * attributes 1 * nent erty Object Description Type Object * * description attributes 1 * (b) Magritte t Object Description Type Object * * description attributes 1 * (b) Magritte
- 80. Object Description Type Object * * description attributes 1 * (b) Magritteonent Object * attributes 1 * nent erty Object Description Type Object * * description attributes 1 * (b) Magritte t Object Description Type Object * * description attributes 1 * (b) Magritte
- 81. Object Description Type Object * * description attributes 1 * (b) Magritteonent Object * attributes 1 * nent erty Object Description Type Object * * description attributes 1 * (b) Magritte t Object Description Type Object * * description attributes 1 * (b) Magritte
- 84. Demo
- 85. Discussion ‣ Very powerful and flexible ‣ Runtime adaptive code ‣ End-user programmable code ‣ Can cause meta meta-confusion ‣ Can be slow
- 86. Other Users ‣ Gjallar Issue Tracker ‣ DabbleDB Online Database
- 87. Composing
- 88. Build something new by composing existing parts.
- 90. 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 ]
- 91. #( #[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] )
- 93. a..z a..z 0..9 ID ::= letter { letter | digit } ;
- 94. letter letter digit sequence choice many ID ::= letter { letter | digit } ;
- 95. letter letter digit sequence choice many id := #letter , (#letter / #digit) star
- 96. letter letter digit sequence choice many id := #letter asParser , (#letter asParser / #digit asParser) star
- 97. Smalltalk + SQL Language + Regular Expression = Customized Smalltalk
- 98. Discussion ‣ The LEGO model ‣ New parts can be easily created ‣ Smalltalk provides elegant composition with binary operators
- 99. Other Users ‣ Brazil Widgets in Newspeak ‣ Seaside and Pier Widgets ‣ Refactoring Engine Change Objects
- 101. Build something new by transforming existing parts.
- 104. Language Scope
- 105. ‣ System ‣ Packages ‣ Classes ‣ Methods Language Scope
- 108. Language Concern Context Menus Navigation Search Code Expansion Code Completion Error Correction Custom Inspector Refactorings Code Folding Highlighting Code Execution
- 111. Language Change Smalltalk + SQL Language
- 112. Language Change Smalltalk + SQL Language + Regular Expression
- 113. Smalltalk + SQL Language + Regular Expression = Custom Host Language Language Change
- 115. Demo
- 116. Discussion ‣ Very generic and powerful ‣ Usually requires extra infrastructure (for example Helvetia) ‣ Might be difficult to learn and apply
- 117. Other Users ‣ Refactoring Engine Rewrite Rules ‣ Compiler Hacks (ok, not really) ‣ XML, XSD Transformations ‣ SOUL, IntensiVE
- 118. Anything Else?
- 119. ‣ Subclassing ‣ Extending ‣ Meta-Modeling ‣ Meta Meta-Modeling ‣ Composing ‣ Transforming }How to make “tools” and “languages” extensible?
- 120. How to make the “object model” extensible?
- 121. Albedo Jorge Ressia
- 122. Object Class