Modular and reusable code is essential for building scalable and maintainable systems. It allows you to avoid duplication, reduce complexity, and facilitate testing and debugging. But how can you ensure your code is modular and reusable? Here are some tips and best practices to follow.
One of the simplest ways to make your code modular and reusable is to use functions and classes. Functions are blocks of code that perform a specific task and can be called from anywhere in your program. Classes are templates that define the attributes and behaviors of objects that can be instantiated and reused. By using functions and classes, you can break down your code into smaller and more manageable units, avoid repeating yourself, and make your code more readable and understandable.
Enforce Abstraction by design, define definite and essential external interfaces, hide internals. Avoid sharing variables and internal functions. Aim to make everything except interface functions/symbols private/static.
Build a developer guide and finalize it before anyone touches any code. Ensure that you have standards around how the code is structured, how work is managed and how information is shared bidirectionally between the dev and product teams, and establish formal quality reviews and other agile ceremonies as applicable.
Functions and classes in systems design should create a domain-specific language, aligning code with the real-world context. - Domain-Specific Language: Functions mirror real-world processes for intuitive understanding. - Encapsulation: Classes represent real-world entities, aligning code with system architecture. - Readability: Code becomes more relatable and easier to understand. - Maintainability: Intuitive structure simplifies updates and modifications. - Communication: Eases cross-disciplinary discussions by using familiar concepts. Viewing functions and classes as elements of a domain-specific language enhances clarity and efficiency in system design, making code a more effective tool for real-world problem-solving.
Not only functions and classes, you have to define agnostic functions by their input parameters with less dependencies on other attributes/db fields. It is essential for each function to meet this criteria to be reusable in different classes.
I like commenting each function and classes explaining what rule they perform in the system. It helps me easily find what I need expecialy when fixing some problems. Or when I want to reuse that piece of codes.
Another way to make your code modular and reusable is to follow coding standards and conventions. These are rules and guidelines that define how to format, structure, name, and document your code. Coding standards and conventions help you to write consistent, clear, and organized code that follows the principles and best practices of your programming language and domain. They also make your code easier to share, review, and maintain by other developers.
To ensure code is modular and reusable, follow coding standards and conventions by breaking down functionality into smaller, self-contained modules, adhering to naming conventions, using meaningful comments, and implementing design patterns like MVC or SOLID principles to promote maintainability and reusability.
Adhering to coding standards and conventions is crucial for modular, reusable code. These guidelines ensure consistency and alignment with best practices in programming and domain-specific requirements. - Consistency: Uniform coding style across the codebase. - Clarity: Well-structured code that’s easy to understand. - Best Practices: Aligns with established norms of the programming language and domain. - Collaboration: Simplifies code sharing and peer review. Following coding standards and conventions is not just about maintaining order; it's about enhancing the quality and life cycle of the code, ensuring that it remains functional, understandable, and effective in collaborative settings.
For those who don't know me I'll give you a brief bio. I am Jay Thornby A/K/A Jeff Bohrer (NI Forum Alias JT,) a Knight of NI, LabVIEW Champion Emeritus, Certified LabVIEW Consultant and the owner/Operator of 8-Ball Consulting (A National Instruments Alliance Partner. I show people and companies how to deliver maintainable test and SCADA solutions. Reusable and modular code are key elements in delighting clients with you software are! There are two clear points I want to share with the readers here from my experiences with LabVIEW in the next posts.
Document. What may be obvious to you, the designer, may not be obvious to someone in the future who is tasked to add additional function.
A third way to make your code modular and reusable is to apply design patterns and principles. Design patterns are proven solutions to common problems that arise in software design. They provide a common vocabulary and a reusable template for solving similar issues. Design principles are general rules and recommendations that guide you to write better code. They include concepts such as abstraction, encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism, cohesion, coupling, and separation of concerns. By applying design patterns and principles, you can improve the quality, flexibility, and extensibility of your code.
In cultivating modular and reusable code, harnessing the power of functions and classes stands as a cornerstone. Functions encapsulate specific operations, promoting a modular structure that allows you to compartmentalize tasks. Meanwhile, classes, acting as blueprints for objects, enhance reusability by fostering a more organized and object-oriented approach. This practice not only streamlines code management but also facilitates code comprehension, paving the way for more efficient development and maintenance.
A fourth way to make your code modular and reusable is to use libraries and frameworks. Libraries are collections of pre-written code that provide functionality and features that you can use in your own code. Frameworks are software platforms that provide a structure and a set of tools for developing applications. By using libraries and frameworks, you can leverage the work of other developers, save time and effort, and avoid reinventing the wheel. You can also benefit from the documentation, support, and community that come with them.
Leveraging libraries and frameworks can further enhance modularity by utilizing pre-built components, reducing redundancy, and promoting best practices, ultimately streamlining development and maintenance efforts.
A fifth way to make your code modular and reusable is to document and test your code. Documentation is the process of creating and maintaining written or visual information that describes your code, its purpose, its functionality, its inputs and outputs, its dependencies, and its usage. Testing is the process of verifying that your code meets the requirements and specifications, and that it works as expected. By documenting and testing your code, you can ensure its reliability, usability, and maintainability. You can also help other developers to understand, reuse, and modify your code.
Document your code comprehensively with comments and follow a consistent naming and coding style. Write unit tests to verify the functionality of individual modules and create a test suite to cover different use cases, ensuring ongoing reliability and ease of maintenance.
Documenting and testing are not just add-on tasks; they're integral to creating robust, understandable, and functional code that stands the test of time and collaboration. - Clarity in Documentation: Offers detailed insight into the code's purpose, functionality, inputs, outputs, and usage. Reliability through Testing: Ensures the code functions as intended and meets specifications. - Usability: Documentation and testing make the code more user-friendly and accessible to other developers. - Maintainability: Facilitates easier updates and modifications with comprehensive information and tested reliability. - Collaborative Efficiency: Aids other developers in understanding, reusing, and modifying the code effectively.
A sixth way to make your code modular and reusable is to refactor and review your code. Refactoring is the process of improving the design and structure of your code without changing its behavior. Reviewing is the process of examining and evaluating your code by yourself or by others. By refactoring and reviewing your code, you can eliminate errors, bugs, and bad smells, enhance performance and security, and increase readability and simplicity. You can also learn from feedback, suggestions, and best practices.
One way to approach this is to create base templates and structure for your team to get started The idea of modularity and coding convention can be conveyed through these base templates Rather than limiting anyone to innovate create a base framework as a path for everyone to get started The idea of creating reusable base templates or frameworks for your team's need will reduce the confusion and provide proper communication and also fasten the phase of development This also reduces the time wasted on repeated tasks and allows teams to focus on main goals What ever framework or template you create should focus on maintainability and scalability The templates or frameworks should be reviewed and improved over time
An important aspect to consider is designing for future growth and real-time monitoring. Key Considerations: - Scalability: Ensure that code can handle increased loads and adapt to evolving requirements without significant restructuring. - Monitorability: Embed monitoring capabilities into your code. This allows for real-time tracking of performance and helps in proactive problem-solving. - Optimization Balance: Avoid over-optimizing in the initial stages. Focus first on functionality and readability, then optimize as necessary based on real-world usage and performance data. - Resilience: Consider how your code will handle failures and unexpected conditions. Building in resilience ensures smoother operation and easier troubleshooting.
Sharing another aspect from the perspective of a Technical Product Manager - Keep your curiosity alive and proactively educate yourself on various initiatives in your organization. Especially in a large organization, there might be other teams developing features whose parts might overlap with (or be similar to) some of your codebase. You'd be able to consider all such use-cases and optimize & future-proof your modular code accordingly.