First programming lesson: Control structures. Senior developer lesson: avoid them.

Problems:

• Too many decisions together

• Coupling

• Duplicated code

• Violation of Open/Closed Principle.

• A new condition should not change the main algorithm.

• Nulls

Solutions

1. Polymorphism

2. Create hierarchies/compose objects following Open closed principle.

3. Use State pattern to model transitions.

4. Use Strategy Pattern/Method Object to choose for branches.

Examples

• Discrete Values

• State transition

• Algorithm choice.

Sample Code

Wrong

Right

Detection

Since there are valid cases for If/else usages, we should not pull the plug and forbid these instructions. We can put a ratio of if statements/other statements as a warning instead.

Relations

Code Smell 12 - Null

Maxi Contieri ・ Oct 31 '20

#codenewbie #tutorial #oop

More info

How to Get Rid of Annoying IFs Forever

Maxi Contieri ・ Nov 9 '20

#oop #programming #codenewbie #tutorial

Credits

Photo by Adarsh Kummur on Unsplash

If debugging is the process of removing software bugs, then programming must be the process of putting them in.

Edsger Dijkstra