CHAIMS: Software Composition at Stanford

CHAIMS
Compiling High-level Access Interfaces for Multi-site Software
Towards the Science of Component Engineering

New to CHAIMS?Read the project objectives. Also check out the introduction to CHAIMS (in powerpoint or html), go the overview page, or view an animation of a CHAIMS program in action (requires Flash).

Research Information

Overview of CHAIMS
The CHAIMS Research Project, Basics:
Description, Documentation and Examples
Continuation of the CHAIMS Research (XML, new architecture, Optimization):
Description, Documentation and Examples
CHAIMS Publications
CHAIMS Presentations:
Talks, Slides and Demos

Administrative

Members
Funding
Minutes, Schedules and notes
(for CHAIMS members only)

CHAIMS Objectives

The CHAIMS effort will develop a very high level (mega-)programming language for software module composition. Its compiler is to generate a variety of invocation sequences for current and developing standards for software interoperation, with a focus on multi-computer, distributed operation. The language will include the ability to set up module interfaces prior to executions, request performance estimates from modules prior to their invocation, schedule modules in parallel, monitor execution of invoked modules, interrupt inadequately performing modules, and provide data and meta-information to customer interface modules [Wiederhold, Wegner, Ceri: "Towards Megaprogramming"; CACM, June 1992].

CHAIMS supports a paradigm shift which is already occurring: a move from coding as the focus of programming to a focus on composition. This shift is occurring invisibly to many enterprises, since there is no clear boundary in moving from subroutine usage to remote service invocation. There are hence few tools and inadequate education to deal with this change.

Questions?

Send email to Neal Sample or to any member of the CHAIMS project.

Stanford University

Computer Science Department

Database Group