The CO-OPN (Concurrent Object-Oriented Petri Nets) specification language is based on both algebraic specifications and algebraic Petri nets formalisms.
In order to deal with large specifications some structuring capabilities have been introduced.
The object-oriented paradigm has been adopted, which means that a CO-OPN specification is a collection of objects which interact concurrently.
Furthermore, the object modules represent the concept of encapsulated entities that possess an internal state and provide the exterior with various services.
To develop models using the CO-OPN language it is possible to use the COOPNBuilder[1] framework that is an environment composed of a set of tools destinated to the support of concurrent software development based on the CO-OPN language.