From data types to object types
Hans-Dieter Ehrich, Amı́lcar Sernadas, Cristina Sernadas · Journal of automata, languages and combinatorics · 1990
A semantic basis for object-oriented approaches is presented. It provides a mathematical model for objects, object types, and societies of interacting objects, includ ing static and dynamic aspects. The model covers complex objects and object types, providing a deeper understanding of specialization, inheritance, generalization, aggrega tion and interaction by object sharing, both in terms of structure and dynamics. The presented theory of object types draws some analogies from algebraic data type theory. Categories of objects and object types are defined. Both are shown to be cocomplete. Based on these results, structural relationsships as well as dynmnic interaction between objects are expressed in a uniform way.