Models and Languages of Object-Oriented Databases (International Computer Science Series)

With the advent of a new generation of object-oriented (OO) databases, there have been significant advances in the theory underlying the technology. This book brings together a selection of key developments in OO databases from a number of different areas, including semantic modelling, formal data models, language design issues, object algebra and rule-based query languages. It shows how these elements may interact within an object-oriented database system and how current commercial and experimental systems fit into the picture. Both the practical and theoretical angles of the subject are covered in detail by this book. A section containing numerous case studies of current systems explores the different ways in which an OO database may be constructed, and also covers the relevant standards. The subsequent section goes on to describe the more formal and theoretical aspects of the subject, discussing semantic and formal OO data models as well as algebraic and rule-based approaches to language design. This unique approach makes it ideal as a text for theory-based courses on OO databases, or as a state-of-the-art reference for database designers. Models and Languages of Object-Oriented Databases includes case studies based on the following systems: * GemStone * O * ObjectStore * Illustra Readers should be familiar with the basic concepts of relational databases and their application, and with OO programming techniques.