COMP 404 Fall 2014	Communications Assignment 3: Inheritance vs. Composition

Question:  

Discuss the pros and cons of using inheritance vs. composition for expression the separation of the invariant and variant components of a system.  

• Give BOTH pros and cons for both architectures.
• Give compelling examples for each architecture of when it would be advantageous to use that architecture.
  • One one example is required but more is better.
  • Clearly explain why the applied architecture is the better choice though perhaps at what cost.
• What are the major design issues that affect the choice of architecture? In particular, consider the following issues but do not limit yourselves to
  • the size of the overall system -- the overall number of components in the system and the complexity of how they interact
  • flexibility -- the need to be configurable for many different tasks at the moment
  • extensibility -- the need to be able to do new and different tasks in the future
  • robustness -- the abillity to withstand erroneous input and/or usage
  • correctness/security   -- the ability to produce the correct results and in a secure manner

Be sure to follow the General Communications Guidelines when writing your discussions!

© 2014 by Stephen Wong