A constructive approach to the design of distributed systems

A constructive design approach to distributed systems is described. The approach is illustrated by a model airport shuttle system, which is implemented in an environment for distributed programming called Conic. The main principles on which the constructive approach is based are those of explicit system structure and context-independent components. Structure is explicitly described and preserved during the software development process, from initial design to actual system construction and evolution. Thus the main structural design information is retained in the constructed system itself. The second principle that of context independence of components, reduces the design and implementation effort by facilitating early identification of component types and component interface specifications