Proxetta

Proxetta creates dynamic proxies in run-time, providing efficient support for aspects; using developer-friendly syntax.

A proxy class is a class that wraps or extends the target class specified at runtime. Proxy Aspect contains advice and pointcut rules for applying advice. Proxy Advice is the code portion of an aspect, i.e. the logic that replaces crosscutting concern. A pointcut is a set of points in the application where advice should be applied, i.e. which methods will be wrapped by proxy.

Proxetta types

Proxetta offers 3 different proxy types, that we call: Proxy, Wrapperand InvokeReplacer.

Proxy

ProxyProxetta is Proxetta that extends the target class (light red). Pointcut methods (dark red) are overridden in proxy subclass (light blue) and called when required from the advice (dark blue).

Therefore, instead of working with the target instance, we have proxified instance. It will be of the same type as the target (since it’s a subclass).

Wrapper

WrapperProxetta is Proxetta that creates a separate, wrapper class (light blue) from the target class (light red). The wrapper class holds the reference of the target class instance. Pointcut methods (dark red) are called from the wrapper advice methods (dark blue). But wrapper also delegates call to other target methods.

Proxetta offers furthermore several ways how the wrapper behave, and if it implements some interface.

InvokeReplacer

Finally, InvokeProxetta is a bit different and unique type of proxy. It creates a clone class and replaces invocation of target methods in the method code with advised method invocation. In other words, it simply replaces method calls in the target class.

Why Proxetta?

First, Proxetta is developer-friendly - the syntax is clean and fluent, which makes everyday development easy.

However, what is unique is the way how pointcuts and advices are defined.

Proxetta pointcuts are defined in pure Java, no custom proprietary notation is used. Therefore, any matching mechanism may be used: regular expression, wildcards; configuration might be stored in external (XML) files and so on.

Proxetta's advices uses a completely different concept than any other AOP library. Advices are written in the same way as users would write real subclass. Instead of using a custom class for accessing proxified method and its arguments, they will be replaced directly on the usage place.

This unique approach makes Proxetta fast. Very fast.

The Invocation of replacements proxies is another unique feature of Proxetta.

Performance test

Because of its unique approach for advices definition, Proxetta is very fast. Compared to one of the most used code generation libraries, CGLIB, the invocation of proxified method is significantly faster.