A Logical Semantics for Object-Oriented Databases

Although the mathematical foundations of relational databases are very well established, the state of affairs for object-oriented databases is much less satisfactory. We propose a semantic foundation for object-oriented databases based on a simple logic of change called rewriting logic, and a language called MaudeLog that is based on that logic. Some key advantages of our approach include its logical nature, its simplicity without any need for higher-order features, the fact that dynamic aspects are directly addressed, the rigorous integration of user-definable algebraic data types within the framework, the existence of initial models, and the integration of query, update, and programming aspects within a single declarative language.