The Building Blocks of Modularity

Jim Weirich Chief Scientist EdgeCase LLC @jimweirich

Copyright 2009, Jim Weirich All Rights Reserved

Tech Interview

What do you look for in a good design?

Ummm?

James Clerk Maxwell 1831 - 1879

Maxwells Equations

Unied!
Electric Fields + Magnetic Fields

Electromagnetism

His [Maxwells] work in producing a unied model of electromagnetism is considered to be one of the greatest advances in physics. -- Wikipedia

- + + - + -+ +- + - + +- +- + - ++ -

Ernest Rutherford

1909

Expected Target Area

Unexpected Reections

++ - + -

Gravity

Electromagnetism

Strong Nuclear

Weak Nuclear

Gravity

Electromagnetism

Grand Unied Field Theory

Strong Nuclear Weak Nuclear

Some Principles ...

SOLID Law of Demeter DRY Small Methods Design by Contract

Some Principles ...

SOLID Unied Theory Grand Law of Demeter of DRY Development Software Small Methods Design by Contract

The Grand Unied Theory of Software Development

Jim Weirich Chief Scientist EdgeCase LLC @jimweirich

Copyright 2009, Jim Weirich All Rights Reserved

1978

Coupling & Cohesion

No Coupling Data Coupling Stamp Coupling Control Coupling External Coupling Common Coupling Content Coupling

Types of Coupling

Less Coupling (good)

No Coupling Data Coupling Stamp Coupling Control Coupling External Coupling

Types of Coupling

More Coupling (bad)

Common Coupling Content Coupling

No Coupling Data Coupling Stamp Coupling Control Coupling External Coupling Common Coupling Content Coupling

No Coupling Data Coupling Stamp Coupling Control Coupling External Coupling Common Coupling Content Coupling

No Coupling Data Coupling Stamp Coupling Control Coupling External Coupling Common Coupling Content Coupling

} }

Local Data

Global Data

No Coupling

Simple Data

Data Coupling Stamp Coupling Control Coupling

} }

Local Data

Structured Data

External Coupling Common Coupling Content Coupling

Global Data

No Coupling Data Coupling Stamp Coupling Control Coupling External Coupling Common Coupling Content Coupling

Control Coupling
Method has a ag parameter The ag controls which algorithm to use

Control Coupling
Method has a ag parameter The ag controls which algorithm to use Symptoms The word OR in description Flag value is arbitrary and not related to
problem domain.

Control Coupling
Array.instance_methods

Control Coupling
Array.instance_methods Array.instance_methods(true) Array.instance_methods(false)

Control Coupling
Array.instance_methods Array.instance_methods(true) Array.instance_methods(false) ... the instance methods in mod are returned, otherwise the methods in mod and mod's superclasses are returned.

Control Coupling
Array.instance_methods Array.instance_methods(true) Array.instance_methods(false) ... the instance methods in mod are returned, otherwise the methods in mod and mod's superclasses are returned.

Another Example?

Control Coupling

Customer.find(:first, ...) Customer.find(:all, ...)

Control Coupling
Returns object Customer.find(:first, ...) Customer.find(:all, ...)

Returns list of objects

Myers Classications were OK

Failed to extend well to Objects and Dynamic Languages

1996

Connascence
1. The common birth of two or more at the same time; production of two or more together. 2. That which is born or produced with another. 3. The act of growing together.

Connascence
Two pieces of software share connascence when a changes in one requires a corresponding change in the other.

CoN

class Customer def email ... end end def send_mail(customer) customer.email ... end

class Customer def email ... end end def send_mail(customer) customer.email ... end

Connascence of Name
class Customer def email ... end end def send_mail(customer) customer.email ... end

Connascence of Name
create_table customers do |t| t.column :email, :string ... end

def send_mail(customer) customer.email ... end

Connascence of Name
class Customer def email ... end end

Another example?

def send_mail(customer) customer.email ... end

Connascence of Name
class Customer def email ... end end

Another example?

def send_mail(customer) customer.email ... end

Connascence of Name
class Customer def email ... end end

Another example?

def send_mail(customer) customer.email ... end

Locality Matters

Rule of Locality
Stronger Connascence Weaker Connascence

Rule of Locality
As the distance between software elements increases, use weaker forms of connascence.

CoP

:orders => { 3 => 1, 5 => 2 }

Translate params hash to A List of Pairs

[ [ Order.find(3), true ], [ Order.find(5), false ], ]

def process_orders(list_of_pairs) list_of_pairs.each do |order, expedite| # handle an order end end

Order of the data within the pair is signicant

[ [ Order.find(3), true ], [ Order.find(5), false ], ]

class OrdersController def build_order_list(params) [order, flag] end end class Orders def process_orders(pairs) pairs.each do |order, flag| ... end end end

Connascence of Position
class OrdersController def build_order_list(params) [order, flag] end end class Orders def process_orders(pairs) pairs.each do |order, flag| ... end end end

Consider

Low Degree of CoP

[ order, expedite ]

High Degree of CoP

[ order, expedite, confirmation_number, ordered_date, expiration, special ]

CoP

CoN

class OrderDisposition attr_reader :order, :expedite, :confirmation_number, :ordered_date, :expiration, :special ... end

Degree Matters

CoN < CoP

Rule of Degree
Convert high degrees of connascence into weaker forms of connascence

Another Example?

Customers.find( [last_name = ?, Weirich], age)

def find(conditions, ordered_by) ... end

Customers.find( [last_name = ?, Weirich], age, 12, 24, [first_name, last_name])

def find(conditions, ordered_by, limit, offset, selected) ... end

CoP

CoN

Customers.find( :conditions => [last_name = ?, Weirich], :order_by => age, :limit => 12, :offset => 24, :select => [first_name, last_name])

def find(options={}) ... end

Another Example?

Connascence of Position
def test_user_can_do_something_interesting user = User.find(:first) ... end

Connascence of Position
def test_user_can_do_something_interesting user = User.find_by_name(Jim) ... end

CoM

<input type="checkbox" value="2" /> <input type="checkbox" value="1" />

<input type="checkbox" value="2" /> <input type="checkbox" value="1" />

<input type="checkbox" value="2" /> <input type="checkbox" value="1" />

if params[:med][id] == "1" mark_given(id) elsif params[:med][id] == "2" mark_not_given(id) end

Connascence of Meaning
<input type="checkbox" value="2" /> <input type="checkbox" value="1" />

if params[:med][id] == "1" mark_given(id) elsif params[:med][id] == "2" mark_not_given(id) end

Connascence of Meaning
MED_GIVEN = "1" MED_NOT_GIVEN = "2"

CoM
MED_GIVEN = "1" MED_NOT_GIVEN = "2"

CoN

<input type="checkbox" value="<%= MED_GIVEN %>" /> <input type="checkbox" value="<%= MED_NOT_GIVEN %>" />

if params[:med][id] == MED_GIVEN mark_given(id) elsif params[:med][id] == MED_NOT_GIVEN mark_not_given(id) end

CoM
MED_GIVEN = 1 MED_NOT_GIVEN = 2

CoN

<input type="checkbox" value="<%= MED_GIVEN %>" /> <input type="checkbox" value="<%= MED_NOT_GIVEN %>" />

if params[:med][id] == MED_GIVEN mark_given(id) elsif params[:med][id] == MED_NOT_GIVEN mark_not_given(id) end

CN

Revisit
MED_GIVEN = "1" MED_NOT_GIVEN = "2"

MED_GIVEN = "1" MED_NOT_GIVEN = "2"

MED_GIVEN = "1"

MED_NOT_GIVEN = "1"

Contranascence
MED_GIVEN = "1"

MED_NOT_GIVEN = "1"

Another Example?

Contranascence
My XML Library
class Node ... end

Contranascence
My XML Library
class Node ... end

Your Graphing Library

class Node ... end

Contranascence
My XML Library
class Node ... end

Your Graphing Library

class Node ... end

Contranascence
My XML Library
module MyXml class Node ... end end

Your Graphing Library

module YourGraphing class Node ... end end

Contranascence
irb/slex.rb:92: tkextlib/blt/tree.rb:15: tkextlib/blt/treeview.rb:18: tkextlib/blt/treeview.rb:966: tkextlib/bwidget/tree.rb:13: tkextlib/bwidget/tree.rb:262: xmlrpc/parser.rb:17: yaml/syck.rb:14: class class class class class class class class Node Node Node Node Node Node Node Node < < < < TkObject TkObject TkObject TkObject

Another Example?

Contranascence
My XML Library
module Kernel def to_node ... end end

Your Graphing Library

module Kernel def to_node ... end end

Contranascence
My XML Library
module Kernel def to_node ... end end

Your Graphing Library

module Kernel def to_node ... end end

Contranascence
Selector Namespaces
(Ruby 2 ?)

CoA

add_check_digit(31415972)

314159728

check?( 314159728) check?( 314159723)

true false

def add_check_digit(digits) check_sum = digits.split(//). inject(0) { |r, n| r + n.to_i } % 10 digits + ((10 - check_sum) % 10).to_s end

def check?(digits) check_sum = digits.split(//). inject(0) { |r, n| r + n.to_i } % 10 check_sum == 0 end

def add_check_digit(digits) check_sum = digits.split(//). inject(0) { |r, n| r + n.to_i } % 10 digits + ((10 - check_sum) % 10).to_s end

def check?(digits) check_sum = digits.split(//). inject(0) { |r, n| r + n.to_i } % 10 check_sum == 0 end

Connascence of Algorithm
def add_check_digit(digits) check_sum = digits.split(//). inject(0) { |r, n| r + n.to_i } % 10 digits + ((10 - check_sum) % 10).to_s end

def check?(digits) check_sum = digits.split(//). inject(0) { |r, n| r + n.to_i } % 10 check_sum == 0 end

CoA

CoN

def add_check_digit(digits) digits + ((10 - check_sum(digits)) % 10).to_s end def check?(digits) check_sum(digits) == 0 end def check_sum(digits) digits.split(//). inject(0) { |r, n| r + n.to_i } % 10 end

DRY
def add_check_digit(digits) digits + ((10 - check_sum(digits)) % 10).to_s end def check?(digits) check_sum(digits) == 0 end def check_sum(digits) digits.split(//). inject(0) { |r, n| r + n.to_i } % 10 end

CoT

class Account def credit(amount) @amount += amount end end

threads = (0...Threads).map { Thread.new do A.credit(1) end }

The Setup
@amount += 1 @amount += 1

23

Step 1
@amount += 1 @amount += 1
1

23

23

Step 2
@amount += 1 @amount += 1
2

23 23

23

Step 3
@amount += 1 @amount += 1

24
3

23 24

Step 4
@amount += 1 @amount += 1

24
Should be 25 at this point!

24 24
4

Race Condition
@amount += 1 @amount += 1
1 2

23
3

23
4

24

Connascence of Timing
@amount += 1 @amount += 1
1 2

23
3

23
4

24

Reordering Steps
@amount += 1 @amount += 1
1 3

24
2

25
4

25

Mutual Exclusion
@amount += 1
Do These Together 1 3

@amount += 1

24
2

25
4

25

Connascence of Timing
@amount += 1
Do These Together 1 3

@amount += 1

24
2

25
4

25

Connascence of Timing
@amount += 1
Do These Together 1 3

@amount += 1

24
2

25
4

25

m = Mutex.new threads = (0...Threads).map { Thread.new do m.synchronize do A.credit(1) end end }

Summary

Connascence

Static Connascence of Name Connascence of Type Connascence of Meaning Connascence of Algorithm Connascence of Position

Dynamic Connascence of Execution Connascence of Timing Connascence of Value Connascence of Identity Contranascence

Rules

Rule of Locality Rule of Degree

References
What Every Programmer Should Know About Object Oriented Design, Meilir Page-Jones Fundamentals of Object-Oriented Design in UML, Meilir Page-Jones Composite/Structured Design, Glenford Myers Reliable Software Through Composite Design, Glenford Myers Agile Software Development, Principles, Patterns, and Practices, Robert Martin Object-Oriented Software Construction, Bertrand Meyer The Pragmatic Programmer: From Journeyman to Master, Andy Hunt & Dave Thomas

Questions?

Thank You!
git://github.com/jimweirich/presentation_connascence.git
Copyright 2009 by Jim Weirich, Some Rights Reserved