XE (eXtreme editor) - bridging the aspect-oriented programming usability gap

In spite of the modularization benefits supported by the Aspect-Oriented programming paradigm, different usability issues have hindered its adoption. The decoupling between aspect definitions and base code, and the compile-time weaving mechanism adopted by different AOP languages, require developers to manage the consistency between base code and aspect code themselves. These mechanisms create opportunities for errors related to aspect weaving invisibility and non-local control characteristics of AOP languages. This paper describes XE (Extreme Editor), an IDE that supports developers in managing these issues in the functional aspect-oriented programming domain.