Semantic Dependencies and Modularity of Aspect-Oriented Software

Modularization of crosscutting concerns is the main ben-efit provided by Aspect-Oriented constructs. In order to rig-orously assess the overall impact of this kind of modulariza-tion, we use Design Structure Matrixes (DSMs) to analyze different versions (OO and AO) of a system. This is sup-ported by the concept of semantic dependencies between classes and aspects, leading to a more faithful notion of coupling for AO systems. We also show how design rules can make those dependencies explicit and, consequently, yield a more modular design.