Static Versus Dynamic Polymorphism When Implementing Variability in C++

• Author / Creator

  Samer Al Masri

• Software Product Line Engineering (SPLE) creates configurable platforms that can be used to efficiently produce similar, and yet different, product variants. To implement SPLs, multiple variability implementation mechanisms have been suggested, including polymorphism. In this thesis, we talk about the trade-offs of using static versus dynamic polymorphism through a case study of IBM’s open-source Eclipse OMR project.Eclipse OMR is an open-source C++ framework for building robust language runtimes. To support the diverse languages and architectures targeted by the framework, OMR’s variability implementation uses a combination of build-system variability and static polymorphism. OMR developers now realize that their current static polymorphism implementation has its drawbacks and are considering using dynamic polymorphism instead.In order to study the trade-offs of using different kinds of polymorphism in OMR, it is crucial to collect function information and overload/override statistics about the current code base. Hence, we create OMRStatistics, a static analysis tool that collects such information about OMR's source code. Using the information provided by OMRStatistics, OMR developers can make better design decisions on which variability extension points should be switched from static polymorphism to dynamic polymorphism. In addition, we report on our first hand experience of changing the polymorphism used in OMR's variability implementation mechanism from static to dynamic, the challenges we faced in the process, and how we overcame them.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • static dynamic polymorphism C++ Eclipse OMR analysis virtualization virtualizing

• Graduation date

  Spring 2019

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/r3-hc6v-rn66

• License

  Permission is hereby granted to the University of Alberta Libraries to reproduce single copies of this thesis and to lend or sell such copies for private, scholarly or scientific research purposes only. Where the thesis is converted to, or otherwise made available in digital form, the University of Alberta will advise potential users of the thesis of these terms. The author reserves all other publication and other rights in association with the copyright in the thesis and, except as herein before provided, neither the thesis nor any substantial portion thereof may be printed or otherwise reproduced in any material form whatsoever without the author's prior written permission.