AspectJ in Action, Second Edition

Chapter 5. Modifying structure with static crosscutting

This chapter covers

• Using member introduction

• Supplementing annotations

• Modifying type hierarchies

• Responding to compile-time errors and warnings

• Softening exceptions

Altering the dynamic behavior of the system in a crosscutting manner dominates the use of AOP. But often you'll also need to alter the static structure of the system in a crosscutting manner. Whereas dynamic crosscutting modifies the behavior of the program, static crosscutting modifies the static structure of the types—the classes, interfaces, and other aspects—and their weave-time behavior. There are three broad classifications of static crosscutting:

• Inter-type declaration (ITD)—One type (an aspect) makes declarations for another ...