Computer Science Colloquium

Jaroslav Tulach
NetBeans Platform Architect, Sun Microsystems, Prague

Paradoxes of API Design

Thu 17.12.2009, 16:15, 60 minutes
Hörsaal 5

Abstract

The presentation is based on experience gained while developing the NetBeans platform. However, no direct knowledge of NetBeans is required, the topic and conclusions will be applicable to any software project. We will start with general explanations why good APIs are more and more needed in today's software development. We will discuss what good APIs consist of and what coding practices are most suitable for their development. Then we will show some examples of API design patterns and their realization in Java. Last but not least, we will discuss some general principles behind API design and their relationship to other mathematical disciplines.

Bio

Jaroslav Tulach is the founder and initial architect of NetBeans, which is not just a well known IDE, but also the first modular desktop application framework written in Java. NetBeans started as a student project at Charles University Prague in the nineties. Since then it has become the flagship software product of Sun Microsystems and has a long history of designing and maintaining its framework APIs.

Invited by o.Univ.-Prof. Dr. Hanspeter Mössenböck

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The Computer Science Colloquium is organized by the Department of Coputer Science at JKU, the Österreichische Gesellschaft für Informatik (ÖGI) and the Österreichische Computergesellschaft (OCG).

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