Z is currently one of the more popular formal specification languages. Practical experience has shown, however, that the Z schema is insufficient to support the structuring of large specifications, and many attempts have been made to develop adequate extensions to it. One of the most promising avenues of research is the use of object orientation technology, which has great potential as a means of structuring large, complex software systems. This volume contains a collection of papers investigating different approaches for providing Z with an object oriented structuring mechanism. It evolved from a comparative study of ways in which object orientation has been combined with Z, which was carried out as part of the DTI/IED-funded ZIP Project. As a result of interest generated by the study last year at both the ZOOM Workshop in Oxford and the 6th Annual Z User Meeting in New York, it was revised and expanded into its present form. In each chapter a different approach is described and assessed. Among topics covered are: why an object oriented Z?; example specifications in Z; Hall’s style; Z expression of refinable objects; MooZ case studies; object-Z: OOZE; Schumann and Pitt approach; Z++; ZEST; specification in fresco; Z and HOOD.
Object Orientation in Z provides a unique comparative approach to this important area of research. It will be of interest to undergraduate and postgraduate students of formal methods and software systems design, as well as to commercial software researchers.