Object Graph Partial Immutability via Compile-Time Permissions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems-level programming lacks fine-grained control over access permissions in object graphs, leading to inefficiencies and potential mutations in collections, as existing solutions like interfaces and wrapper types incur overhead and can be subverted.
Innovation Solution
A language extension that allows different portions of an object graph to have individually assigned permissions during instantiation, which are maintained throughout the lifetime of each instance, enabling structured permissions and fine-grained control over access permissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If interfaces or wrapper types are used to manage access permissions, then access control is provided, but runtime overhead and potential subversion occur
Solution Approach 1:
Access permissions are assigned and enforced at compile time through language extensions and type definitions, rather than being managed at runtime through interfaces or wrappers. The compiler statically determines which portions of object graphs are immutable or mutable, eliminating runtime overhead while maintaining reliable access control.
Solution Approach 2:
The access control mechanism is extracted from runtime execution and moved to compile-time processing. Language extensions allow permissions to be declared and enforced during compilation, removing the need for runtime checks and wrapper types that previously caused overhead.
2Reliability
If fine-grained control over access permissions is implemented, then mutation prevention is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Object graphs are segmented into distinct portions with different permission assignments. Language extensions allow specific portions of object graphs to be marked as immutable or mutable independently, enabling fine-grained control over which parts can be modified without affecting the entire structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the object graph have different permission qualities assigned to them. The language extension allows each portion to have its own access permission characteristics (immutable or mutable), providing local quality control rather than uniform permission management across the entire object graph.
3Measurement precision
If structured permissions are applied to object graphs, then access control precision is improved, but instantiation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The language extension provides a universal mechanism for assigning structured permissions to object graphs that works across different types and instantiation scenarios. Type definitions incorporate permission information directly, allowing the same language construct to handle various permission configurations without requiring separate mechanisms for each case.
Data Source
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AI summary
The type definition of particular types such that different portions of the corresponding object graph may have different permissions assigned to those portions during instantiation. This allows structured permissions to be applied to instantiations of the object graphs of those defined types, allowing fine grained control over what access permissions are enforced against which portions of the object graph. In some embodiments, different instantiations of the object graph may apply permissions differently.