An examination of existing software systems shows that an increasingly important technique for handling this problem is to design the module's interface in such a way that the client can assist or participate in the selection of the module's implementation strategy. We call this approach open implementation.
When designing the interface to a module that allows its clients some control over its implementation strategy, it is important to retain, as much as possible, the advantages of traditional closed implementation modules. This paper explores issues in the design of interfaces to open implementation modules. We identify key design choices, and present guidelines for deciding which choices are likely to work best in particular situations.
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