Abstract: Techniques for accessing a migrated method include: identifying a request to invoke a method defined by a particular type; identifying, in the particular type: an older version of the method that is (a) associated with a method name and (b) configured to return values of a first return type, and a current version of the method that is (a) associated with the method name and (b) configured to return values of a second return type; determining that the first request specifies the first return type; responsive to determining that the first request specifies the first return type: executing the current version of the method to obtain a value of the second return type; applying one or more conversion functions to convert the value of the second return type to a value of the first return type; returning the value of the first return type responsive to the first request.

Abstract: Techniques for accessing a migrated method include: identifying a request to invoke a method defined by a type, the request including one or more arguments associated with respective argument types; identifying, in the type, an older version of the method associated with (a) a method name and (b) a first set of one or more parameter types, and a current version of the method associated with (a) the method name and (b) a second set of one or more parameter types; determining that the argument type(s) match(es) the first set of one or more parameter types; responsive to determining that the argument type(s) match(es) the first set of one or more parameter types: applying one or more conversion functions to convert the argument(s) to the second set of one or more parameter types; executing the current version of the method using the converted argument(s).

Abstract: Techniques for accessing a migrated method include: identifying a request to invoke a method defined by a particular type; identifying, in the particular type: an older version of the method that is (a) associated with a method name and (b) configured to return values of a first return type, and a current version of the method that is (a) associated with the method name and (b) configured to return values of a second return type; determining that the first request specifies the first return type; responsive to determining that the first request specifies the first return type: executing the current version of the method to obtain a value of the second return type; applying one or more conversion functions to convert the value of the second return type to a value of the first return type; returning the value of the first return type responsive to the first request.

Abstract: Techniques for accessing a migrated method include: identifying a request to invoke a method defined by a type, the request including one or more arguments associated with respective argument types; identifying, in the type, an older version of the method associated with (a) a method name and (b) a first set of one or more parameter types, and a current version of the method associated with (a) the method name and (b) a second set of one or more parameter types; determining that the argument type(s) match(es) the first set of one or more parameter types; responsive to determining that the argument type(s) match(es) the first set of one or more parameter types: applying one or more conversion functions to convert the argument(s) to the second set of one or more parameter types; executing the current version of the method using the converted argument(s).

Abstract: Accessing migrated members in an updated type is described. Instructions to access a migrated member may be: (a) storing a value of a particular type as a value of a migrated field, or (b) invoking a migrated method using an argument of a particular type. The argument of the particular type, specified in the instructions, is converted into a value of the type associated with the current version of the migrated member. The migrated member is accessed using the converted value. Alternatively, instructions may be: (a) fetching and returning a value of a migrated field as a value of a particular type, or (b) returning a value from a migrated method as a value of a particular type. A value is returned via accessing the current version of the migrated member. The returned value is converted into a value of the particular type specified in the instructions.

Abstract: Accessing migrated members in an updated type is described. Instructions to access a migrated member may be: (a) storing a value of a particular type as a value of a migrated field, or (b) invoking a migrated method using an argument of a particular type. The argument of the particular type, specified in the instructions, is converted into a value of the type associated with the current version of the migrated member. The migrated member is accessed using the converted value. Alternatively, instructions may be: (a) fetching and returning a value of a migrated field as a value of a particular type, or (b) returning a value from a migrated method as a value of a particular type. A value is returned via accessing the current version of the migrated member. The returned value is converted into a value of the particular type specified in the instructions.

Abstract: Accessing migrated members in an updated type is described. Instructions to access a migrated member may be: (a) storing a value of a particular type as a value of a migrated field, or (b) invoking a migrated method using an argument of a particular type. The argument of the particular type, specified in the instructions, is converted into a value of the type associated with the current version of the migrated member. The migrated member is accessed using the converted value. Alternatively, instructions may be: (a) fetching and returning a value of a migrated field as a value of a particular type, or (b) returning a value from a migrated method as a value of a particular type. A value is returned via accessing the current version of the migrated member. The returned value is converted into a value of the particular type specified in the instructions.

Abstract: Overriding a migrated method in an updated type is described. Instructions to invoke a particular method, in a sub-type, that overrides a migrated method, in a super-type, are identified. The instructions may invoke the particular method using a set of arguments associated with a particular set of types. The particular set of types is different from the set of parameter types associated with the particular method as defined in the sub-type. Additionally or alternatively, the instructions may include returning a value of a particular type from the particular method. The particular type is different from the return type associated with the particular method as defined in the sub-type. A new method is generated. The new method includes instructions for (a) converting the set of arguments and/or (b) converting the value returned from the particular method. The new method is stored in a runtime environment and executed.

Abstract: Techniques for flow-based scoping are disclosed. A first code segment in a sequence of same-level code segments encapsulates a first lower-level lexical scope. The first lower-level scope is inclusive of scoping provided for the sequence of same-level code segments. The first code segment comprises a condition and an uninitialized variable. If executed, the first code segment causes the condition to be evaluated. If the condition is satisfied, the uninitialized variable is initialized and made available only within the first lower-level lexical scope. If a second code segment (a) references the uninitialized variable and (b) is in the sequence of same-level code segments or in a second lower-level lexical scope outside of the first lower-level lexical scope, an error message is presented indicating that the uninitialized variable is out of scope for the second code segment.

Abstract: Techniques for flow-based scoping are disclosed. A first code segment in a sequence of same-level code segments encapsulates a first lower-level lexical scope. The first lower-level scope is inclusive of scoping provided for the sequence of same-level code segments. The first code segment comprises a condition and an uninitialized variable. If executed, the first code segment causes the condition to be evaluated. If the condition is satisfied, the uninitialized variable is initialized and made available only within the first lower-level lexical scope. If a second code segment (a) references the uninitialized variable and (b) is in the sequence of same-level code segments or in a second lower-level lexical scope outside of the first lower-level lexical scope, an error message is presented indicating that the uninitialized variable is out of scope for the second code segment.

Abstract: Overriding a migrated method in an updated type is described. Instructions to invoke a particular method, in a sub-type, that overrides a migrated method, in a super-type, are identified. The instructions may invoke the particular method using a set of arguments associated with a particular set of types. The particular set of types is different from the set of parameter types associated with the particular method as defined in the sub-type. Additionally or alternatively, the instructions may include returning a value of a particular type from the particular method. The particular type is different from the return type associated with the particular method as defined in the sub-type. A new method is generated. The new method includes instructions for (a) converting the set of arguments and/or (b) converting the value returned from the particular method. The new method is stored in a runtime environment and executed.

Abstract: Accessing migrated members in an updated type is described. Instructions to access a migrated member may be: (a) storing a value of a particular type as a value of a migrated field, or (b) invoking a migrated method using an argument of a particular type. The argument of the particular type, specified in the instructions, is converted into a value of the type associated with the current version of the migrated member. The migrated member is accessed using the converted value. Alternatively, instructions may be: (a) fetching and returning a value of a migrated field as a value of a particular type, or (b) returning a value from a migrated method as a value of a particular type. A value is returned via accessing the current version of the migrated member. The returned value is converted into a value of the particular type specified in the instructions.