A data distribution system based on the exchange of asynchronous messages in publication/subscription mode, for the exchange of data according to various qualities of service between a transmitter running a data supplying application and one receiver running a data receiving application is disclosed, which transmitter and receiver are interconnected by a communication network, via communication objects. Communication objects provide one programming interface to exchange messages. In one aspect, a communication object is broken down into a number of components comprising a type-1 component comprising the programming interface, and at least one type-2 component adapted to control information related to the type-1 component and providing the operations responsible for functionalities reconfigurable during runtime, which communication object has a mechanism for providing runtime reconfiguration requests to the at least one type-2 component, so as to allow for the reconfiguration during runtime of a functionality associated with the communication object.