{"id":{"repo_id":"ubc","oai_identifier":"oai:circle.library.ubc.ca:2429/1380"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/ubc/oai:circle.library.ubc.ca:2429/1380","repository":{"repo_id":"ubc","name":"University of British Columbia","base_url":"http://circle.library.ubc.ca/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Reducing remodularization complexity through modular-objective decoupling","abstract":"This dissertation defines \"modular-objective coupling\", and shows that programming language designs which imply reduced modular-objective coupling reduce complexity of remodularizations--behaviour-preserving restructurings for which the only intended goals are to change program source code structure. We explicitly distinguish between two points of view on program structure: modular structure--the structure of a program as a set of static text documents, and objective structure--the structure of a program as a dynamic computational model during execution. We define modular-objective coupling as the degree to which changes in modular structure imply changes to objective structure, for a given programming language. We use the term remodularization to refer to any behaviour-preserving source code restructuring, for which the only intended goal is to change modular structure. We argue that programming languages with strong modular-objective coupling introduce accidental complexity into remodularizations, by requiring complex objective structure changes to achieve intended modular structure changes. Our claim is that a programming language design which implies reduced modular-objective coupling reduces remodularization complexity in the language. To validate this claim, we first present SubjectJ, a subject-oriented programming system that extends Java. The design of Java implies strong modular-objective coupling, while SubjectJ is designed for reduced modular-objective coupling. We then perform a series of remodularization case studies comparing Java and SubjectJ. Our results suggest that remodularizations are less complex in SubjectJ.","abstract_html":"This dissertation defines "modular-objective coupling", and shows that programming language designs which imply reduced modular-objective coupling reduce complexity of remodularizations--behaviour-preserving restructurings for which the only intended goals are to change program source code structure. We explicitly distinguish between two points of view on program structure: modular structure--the structure of a program as a set of static text documents, and objective structure--the structure of a program as a dynamic computational model during execution. We define modular-objective coupling as the degree to which changes in modular structure imply changes to objective structure, for a given programming language. We use the term remodularization to refer to any behaviour-preserving source code restructuring, for which the only intended goal is to change modular structure. We argue that programming languages with strong modular-objective coupling introduce accidental complexity into remodularizations, by requiring complex objective structure changes to achieve intended modular structure changes. Our claim is that a programming language design which implies reduced modular-objective coupling reduces remodularization complexity in the language. To validate this claim, we first present SubjectJ, a subject-oriented programming system that extends Java. The design of Java implies strong modular-objective coupling, while SubjectJ is designed for reduced modular-objective coupling. We then perform a series of remodularization case studies comparing Java and SubjectJ. 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We explicitly distinguish between two points of view on program structure: modular structure--the structure of a program as a set of static text documents, and objective structure--the structure of a program as a dynamic computational model during execution. We define modular-objective coupling as the degree to which changes in modular structure imply changes to objective structure, for a given programming language. We use the term remodularization to refer to any behaviour-preserving source code restructuring, for which the only intended goal is to change modular structure. We argue that programming languages with strong modular-objective coupling introduce accidental complexity into remodularizations, by requiring complex objective structure changes to achieve intended modular structure changes. Our claim is that a programming language design which implies reduced modular-objective coupling reduces remodularization complexity in the language. To validate this claim, we first present SubjectJ, a subject-oriented programming system that extends Java. The design of Java implies strong modular-objective coupling, while SubjectJ is designed for reduced modular-objective coupling. We then perform a series of remodularization case studies comparing Java and SubjectJ. Our results suggest that remodularizations are less complex in SubjectJ."]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["2958670","application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Reducing remodularization complexity through modular-objective decoupling"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Chern, Rick"],"dc:date":["2008"],"dc:description":["This dissertation defines \"modular-objective coupling\", and shows that programming language designs which imply reduced modular-objective coupling reduce complexity of remodularizations--behaviour-preserving restructurings for which the only intended goals are to change program source code structure. We explicitly distinguish between two points of view on program structure: modular structure--the structure of a program as a set of static text documents, and objective structure--the structure of a program as a dynamic computational model during execution. We define modular-objective coupling as the degree to which changes in modular structure imply changes to objective structure, for a given programming language. We use the term remodularization to refer to any behaviour-preserving source code restructuring, for which the only intended goal is to change modular structure. We argue that programming languages with strong modular-objective coupling introduce accidental complexity into remodularizations, by requiring complex objective structure changes to achieve intended modular structure changes. Our claim is that a programming language design which implies reduced modular-objective coupling reduces remodularization complexity in the language. To validate this claim, we first present SubjectJ, a subject-oriented programming system that extends Java. The design of Java implies strong modular-objective coupling, while SubjectJ is designed for reduced modular-objective coupling. We then perform a series of remodularization case studies comparing Java and SubjectJ. Our results suggest that remodularizations are less complex in SubjectJ."],"dc:format":["2958670","application/pdf"],"dc:identifier":["http://hdl.handle.net/2429/1380","http://circle.library.ubc.ca/bitstream/2429/1380/1/ubc_2008_fall_chern_rick.pdf"],"dc:language":["eng"],"dc:publisher":["University of British Columbia"],"dc:rights":["http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/","Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International"],"dc:title":["Reducing remodularization complexity through modular-objective decoupling"],"dc:type":["Text"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Computer Science"],"thesis:degree_level":["master's"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science - MSc"],"thesis:institution_name":["University of British Columbia"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:07:35Z"}