How do you compare the features of AspectJ with reflective systems?
Reflective and aspect-oriented languages have an important similarity: both provide programming support for dealing with crosscutting concerns. In this sense reflective systems proved that independent programming of crosscutting concerns is possible. But the control that reflection provides tends to be low-level and extremely powerful. In contrast, AspectJ provides more carefully controlled power, drawing on the rules learned from object-oriented development to encourage a clean and understandable program structure.
