This text documents a set of application programming techniques, using a uniform and transparent object model, in a distributed and persistent environment.
Applications are implemented using an object-oriented language. The proposed techniques do not need that the language be changed, since all actions are independent of it.
Applications are modular. Modularity is achieved through several aspects, besides the obvious one, of object-oriented programming. Among those aspects, a layered architecture is a very important one, as it forces the each layer to have a well defined interface. The fact that each layer uses the same programming approach of the application as a whole. Another aspect is programming transparency, either high- or low-level, which allows for high flexibility in module construction, bacause implementation details are hidden behind each interface.
Several tools that allow for ease of use of the proposed techniques are described, as well as the effects of their use.
The generic programming techniques are applied to a C++-based application programming environment. Problems related to the use of this language are discussed.
Finally, the system that motivated this work and the proposed model are compared.