DECO – A Flexible and Scalable Framework for Collections

DECO is a framework for collections data structures, based on which the users are able very easily to use, to adapt, to transform, and to extend the collections. The design of the framework relies on a theoretical view of collections based on features. A certain collection type is seen as a set of features which are added to a storage support. The design is based on Decorator together with Proxy and Template Method design patterns. This design choice allows features to be dynamically added or removed and from this, a high degree of flexibility in creating and managing the collections is achieved. The framework could be easily extended, but in an organized and reliable manner. Also, the framework could offer important advantages for the users with no so high expertise, allowing the collections to be built using factories and builders.

Publications:

  • D. Lupsa, V. Niculescu, R.Lupsa. Collections as Combinations of Features. Acta Universitatis Apulensis ISSN: 1582-5329 No. 42 (2015), pp. 67-78 doi: 10.17114/j.aua.2015.42.05 (.pdf).
  • V. Niculescu. A Design Patterns Perspective on Data Structures. Acta Universitatis Apulensis ISSN: 1582-5329 No. 34 (2013), pp.335-355 (.pdf).
  • V. Niculescu. Performance and Reliability in the Development of a Decorator Based Collections Framework. Studia Universitatis “Babes-Bolyai”, Informatica, Volume LVIII, Number 4 (Dec. 2013), pp. 87-101 (.pdf).
  • V. Niculescu, D. Lupsa, R. Lupsa. Issues in Collections Framework Design. Studia Universitatis “Babes-Bolyai”, Informatica,Volume LVII, Number 4 (Dec. 2012), pp.30-38 (.pdf)
  • V. Niculescu, D. Lupsa. A Decorator Based Design for Collections, in Proceedings of KEPT 2013: The Fourth International Conference On Knowledge Engineering, Principles and Techniques (June 2013) Studia Universitatis “Babes-Bolyai”, Informatica, Volume LVIII, Number 3 (Sept. 2013). pp. 54-64 (.pdf)
  • Virginia Niculescu. MixDecorator: An Enhanced Version of the Decorator Pattern. In Proceedings 20th European Conference on Pattern Languages of Programs (EuroPLoP’2015) Kloster Irsee, Germany 8-12 July 2015(link TODO) [DOI]