Procedure Calls Are the Assembly Language of Software Interconnection: Connectors Deserve First-Class Status
• SEI Report
Publisher
Software Engineering Institute
CMU/SEI Report Number
CMU/SEI-94-TR-002DOI (Digital Object Identifier)
10.1184/R1/6582254.v1Abstract
Software designers compose systems from components written in some programming language. They regularly describe systems using abstract patterns and sophisticated relations among components. However, the configuration tools at their disposal restrict them to composition mechanisms directly supported by the programming language. To remedy this lack of expressiveness, we must elevate the relations among components to first-class entities of the system, entitled to their own specifications and abstractions.
Cite This SEI Report
Shaw, M. (1994, January 1). Procedure Calls Are the Assembly Language of Software Interconnection: Connectors Deserve First-Class Status. (SEI Report CMU/SEI-94-TR-002). Retrieved April 14, 2026, from https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6582254.v1.
@techreport{shaw_1994,
author={Shaw, Mary},
title={Procedure Calls Are the Assembly Language of Software Interconnection: Connectors Deserve First-Class Status},
month={{Jan},
year={{1994},
number={{CMU/SEI-94-TR-002},
howpublished={Carnegie Mellon University, Software Engineering Institute's Digital Library},
url={https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6582254.v1},
note={Accessed: 2026-Apr-14}
}
Shaw, Mary. "Procedure Calls Are the Assembly Language of Software Interconnection: Connectors Deserve First-Class Status." (CMU/SEI-94-TR-002). Carnegie Mellon University, Software Engineering Institute's Digital Library. Software Engineering Institute, January 1, 1994. https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6582254.v1.
M. Shaw, "Procedure Calls Are the Assembly Language of Software Interconnection: Connectors Deserve First-Class Status," Carnegie Mellon University, Software Engineering Institute's Digital Library. Software Engineering Institute, SEI Report CMU/SEI-94-TR-002, 1-Jan-1994 [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6582254.v1. [Accessed: 14-Apr-2026].
Shaw, Mary. "Procedure Calls Are the Assembly Language of Software Interconnection: Connectors Deserve First-Class Status." (SEI Report CMU/SEI-94-TR-002). Carnegie Mellon University, Software Engineering Institute's Digital Library, Software Engineering Institute, 1 Jan. 1994. https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6582254.v1. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
Shaw, Mary. Procedure Calls Are the Assembly Language of Software Interconnection: Connectors Deserve First-Class Status. CMU/SEI-94-TR-002. Software Engineering Institute. 1994. https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6582254.v1