.NET Attributes for Pluggable Module Type Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current software frameworks, such as Microsoft .NET, lack a framework for advertising integration points and recognizing valid contributions to those integration points in applications, making it difficult to dynamically load and utilize modules with unknown origins in a strongly-typed fashion.
Innovation Solution
A system using .NET attributes to advertise integration points and filter pluggable functionality, where attributes are used to identify and link producer and consumer modules indirectly through a definition module, allowing for the discovery and loading of modules that conform to specific functionality definitions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If modules are dynamically loaded without knowing their origin, then adaptability and extensibility are improved, but system reliability and type safety deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces attributes as an intermediary mechanism between module code and the loading system. These attributes contain type information and contract definitions that enable the system to verify and safely integrate dynamically loaded modules without compromising type safety, while maintaining extensibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent requires that modules declare their contracts and type information through attributes before being loaded. This preliminary declaration allows the system to verify module compatibility and type safety in advance, ensuring reliable integration of dynamically loaded modules.
2Ease of operation
If a framework is provided for advertising integration points and recognizing valid contributions, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a universal attribute-based mechanism that serves multiple functions: advertising integration points, declaring contracts, providing type information, and enabling module discovery. This single multi-functional approach simplifies the overall framework while improving ease of module integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables modules to self-describe their functionality, contracts, and type information through attributes. This self-service approach allows modules to automatically integrate with the system without requiring complex external configuration or manual registration, simplifying the framework structure.
Data Source
AI summary
In a composition model for large-scale extensible applications, applications are constructed in a modular fashion. The modules integrate with each other by producing and consuming functionality that conforms to a common definition. Producer modules and consumer modules are kept independent of one another, and are linked together indirectly via a definition module. .NET attributes are used to identify various code artifacts (such as classes, methods, properties, etc.) as being functionality definitions, productions, and/or consumptions. These attributes are examined by the module loader and used to create relationships between individually installed producer and consumer modules. The consumer uses .NET attributes to declare dependency on functionality and filter out implementations that don't meet the criteria specified by those attributes.