Recursive Design

Originally coined for the ShlaerMellorMethod, RecursiveDesign is the approach to translative software construction where the translator is part of the source code of the project, and the translator is also developed using this translative approach.

This contrasts with the approach of many OOD CASE tools which attempt to deliver OneSizeFitsAll code generators. This approach gives code generation a bad name, because the impression is given that code generation is only suitable for situations where performance is unimportant.

The generic approach to code generation works well for translating a low level language (such as C) to machine code. It is usable for higher level languages, but there is an increasing disconnect between the source code and the target machine. The translation of the higher level descriptions require tradeoffs to be made in the translation. Once these tradeoffs go beyond basic speed/size tradeoffs then project specific translators become a sensible approach for optimisation.

The ShlaerMellorMethod provides a simple formalism that allows you to build models that are easy to write translators for. The simplicity of this formalism leaves it open to criticisms (some valid, IMHO) that it is too simple. Any comparison of Shlaer Mellor against traditional, full-featured, formalisms tend to show SM in an unfavourable light.

But the SM approach truely allows you to draw diagrams that are the source code. SM originally came with its own notation, but is has been shown that you can use a subset of the UML is you prefer. As soon as you have a diagram, you can use a generic code generator to run simple tests (and to gain insight into the behaviour of the code/diagram). SM CASE tools will usually provide simulators: these either interpret the models or generate highly instrucmented code for the model. An orthogonal activity is to construct (and maintain) a code generator that produces code that meets the performance/interface requirements of the system.


See AspectOrientedProgramming, MetaRefactoring.

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