Putting Metaclasses to Work takes a new, evolutionary look at important concepts of object-oriented programming, starting with the development of an object model from fundamental principles. Unique aspects of this object model include a use of metaclasses to encapsulate the implementation of object properties and a support for reuse of metaclasses. Metaclass reuse is based on a new semantics for inheritance that automatically combines metaclasses by using multiple inheritance to compose object properties. This book provides a concrete demonstration of how metaclasses can be used to increase productivity and reusability in object-oriented programming.

A C++-based language for programming metaclasses according to the authors' model is presented and then used throughout the book, allowing the reader to understand the utility and importance of metaclasses within the overall context of object-oriented programming.In addition, this book: Presents the theory of reflective class-based object-oriented models Introduces a new form of inheritance called Inheritance of Metaclass Constraints Discusses the basic metaobject protocol used to program new metaclasses that isolate reusable properties Contains useful examples of metaclasses that can be built with metaobject protocol and cooperative metaclasses