Join Points
Prev | Appendix B. Language Semantics | Next

## Join Points

While aspects define types that crosscut, the AspectJ system does not allow completely arbitrary crosscutting. Rather, aspects define types that cut across principled points in a program's execution. These principled points are called join points.

A join point is a well-defined point in the execution of a program. The join points defined by AspectJ are:

Method call
  When a method is called, not including super calls of non-static methods.
Method execution
  When the body of code for an actual method executes.
Constructor call
  When an object is built and that object's initial constructor is called (i.e., not for "super" or "this" constructor calls). The object being constructed is returned at a constructor call join point, so its return type is considered to be the type of the object, and the object itself may be accessed with `after returning` advice.
Constructor execution
  When the body of code for an actual constructor executes, after its this or super constructor call. The object being constructed is the currently executing object, and so may be accessed with the `this` pointcut. The constructor execution join point for a constructor that calls a super constructor also includes any non-static initializers of enclosing class. No value is returned from a constructor execution join point, so its return type is considered to be void.
Static initializer execution
  When the static initializer for a class executes. No value is returned from a static initializer execution join point, so its return type is considered to be void.
Object pre-initialization
  Before the object initialization code for a particular class runs. This encompasses the time between the start of its first called constructor and the start of its parent's constructor. Thus, the execution of these join points encompass the join points of the evaluation of the arguments of `this()` and `super()` constructor calls. No value is returned from an object pre-initialization join point, so its return type is considered to be void.
Object initialization
  When the object initialization code for a particular class runs. This encompasses the time between the return of its parent's constructor and the return of its first called constructor. It includes all the dynamic initializers and constructors used to create the object. The object being constructed is the currently executing object, and so may be accessed with the `this` pointcut. No value is returned from a constructor execution join point, so its return type is considered to be void.
Field reference
  When a non-constant field is referenced. [Note that references to constant fields (static final fields bound to a constant string object or primitive value) are not join points, since Java requires them to be inlined.]
Field set
  When a field is assigned to. Field set join points are considered to have one argument, the value the field is being set to. No value is returned from a field set join point, so its return type is considered to be void. [Note that the initializations of constant fields (static final fields where the initializer is a constant string object or primitive value) are not join points, since Java requires their references to be inlined.]
Handler execution
  When an exception handler executes. Handler execution join points are considered to have one argument, the exception being handled. No value is returned from a field set join point, so its return type is considered to be void.
Advice execution
  When the body of code for a piece of advice executes.

Each join point potentially has three pieces of state associated with it: the currently executing object, the target object, and an object array of arguments. These are exposed by the three state-exposing pointcuts, `this`, `target`, and `args`, respectively.

Informally, the currently executing object is the object that a `this` expression would pick out at the join point. The target object is where control or attention is transferred to by the join point. The arguments are those values passed for that transfer of control or attention.

Join Point | Current Object | Target Object | Arguments
--- | --- | --- | ---
Method Call | executing object* | target object** | method arguments
Method Execution | executing object* | executing object* | method arguments
Constructor Call | executing object* | None | constructor arguments
Constructor Execution | executing object | executing object | constructor arguments
Static initializer execution | None | None | None
Object pre-initialization | None | None | constructor arguments
Object initialization | executing object | executing object | constructor arguments
Field reference | executing object* | target object** | None
Field assignment | executing object* | target object** | assigned value
Handler execution | executing object* | executing object* | caught exception
Advice execution | executing aspect | executing aspect | advice arguments

* There is no executing object in static contexts such as static method bodies or static initializers.

** There is no target object for join points associated with static methods or fields.

Prev | Home | Next
Appendix B. Language Semantics | Up | Pointcuts