Aspect (computer programming): Difference between revisions

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In [[computer science]], an '''aspect''' of a program is a feature linked to many other parts of the program, but which is not related to the program's primary function. An aspect cross-cuts the program's [[core concern]]s, therefore violating its [[separation of concerns]] that tries to isolateencapsulate unrelated functions. For example, logging code can cross-cut many modules, yet the aspect of logging should be separate from the functional concerns of the module it cross-cuts. Isolating such aspects as [[Data logging|logging]] and [[persistence]] from [[business logic]] is the aim of [[aspect-oriented software development]] (AOSD), of which the [[aspect-oriented programming]] (AOP) [[programming paradigm|paradigm]] is the most widely employed.<ref>{{citebook|title=Aspect-Oriented Database Systems|author=Awais Rashid|year= 2004|publisher=Springer|isbn=3540009485}}</ref>

Aspect-orientation is not limited to programming since it is useful to identify, analyse, trace and modularise concerns (e.g., PREview) through requirements elicitation, specification and design. Aspects can be multi-dimensional by allowing both functional and non-functional behaviour to cross cut any other concerns, instead of just mapping non-functional concerns to functional requirements{{Citation needed|date=April 2010}}.