User Tools

Site Tools


principles:single_level_of_abstraction

Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

Link to this comparison view

Both sides previous revisionPrevious revision
Next revision
Previous revision
Next revisionBoth sides next revision
principles:single_level_of_abstraction [2014-07-01 09:44] – caveats, ... christianprinciples:single_level_of_abstraction [2018-04-23 09:39] christian
Line 1: Line 1:
 ====== Single Level of Abstraction (SLA) ====== ====== Single Level of Abstraction (SLA) ======
- 
 ===== Variants and Alternative Names ===== ===== Variants and Alternative Names =====
 +
  
   * One Level of Abstraction   * One Level of Abstraction
Line 19: Line 19:
 All statements of a method should belong to the same level of abstraction. If there is a statement which belongs to a lower level of abstraction, it should go to a private method which comprises statements on this level. Doing so will result in smaller methods. All statements of a method should belong to the same level of abstraction. If there is a statement which belongs to a lower level of abstraction, it should go to a private method which comprises statements on this level. Doing so will result in smaller methods.
  
-Often the body of a loop can be extracted resulting in a separate private method. Loops should ideally contain a single statement (usually a method call). Sometimes this is not achievable without other drawbacks but certainly large loop bodies can be considered a small+Often the body of a loop can be extracted resulting in a separate private method. Loops should ideally contain a single statement (usually a method call). Sometimes this is not achievable without other drawbacks but certainly large loop bodies can be considered a smell
  
 A further indicator for a missing method is the combination of a blank line, a comment and a block of code. In most of the cases the code block should go to a new private method. This also makes the comment obsolete as the new method carries a name which typically resembles the comment.  A further indicator for a missing method is the combination of a blank line, a comment and a block of code. In most of the cases the code block should go to a new private method. This also makes the comment obsolete as the new method carries a name which typically resembles the comment. 
Line 36: Line 36:
  
 ===== Caveats ===== ===== Caveats =====
-An exception where it may be helpful not to adhere to the principle are certain algorithms. When implementing for instance a sorting algorithm, keeping the algorithm together can be considered more readable than splitting it up into several small functions. This is because certain algorithms are well known and splitting them up may disguise them. A suitable compromise has to be found in such a case. +See section [[#contrary principles]].
- +
-See section [[#contrary principles]] for further aspects.+
  
  
 ===== Origin ===== ===== Origin =====
  
-Stated in  +Stated in [[resources:Clean Code]] (p. 36). The principle is maybe older, though.
-{{page>resources:Clean Code#reference}} (on page 36). The principles is maybe older.+
  
 ===== Evidence ===== ===== Evidence =====
Line 78: Line 75:
 ===== Examples ===== ===== Examples =====
  
-==== Example1:  ====+==== Example1: Loops ==== 
 + 
 +A typical example for the application of SLA is a loop iterating over a certain data structure: 
 + 
 +<code java> 
 +public List<ResultDto> buildResult(Set<ResultEntity> resultSet) { 
 +    List<ResultDto> result = new ArrayList<>(); 
 +    for (ResultEntity entity : resultSet) { 
 +        ResultDto dto = new ResultDto(); 
 +        dto.setShoeSize(entity.getShoeSize());         
 +        dto.setNumberOfEarthWorms(entity.getNumberOfEarthWorms()); 
 +        dto.setAge(computeAge(entity.getBirthday())); 
 +        result.add(dto); 
 +    } 
 +    return result; 
 +
 +</code> 
 + 
 +There are two levels of abstractions in this method. First there is the loop which acts upon the whole result set and second there is the loop body which converts a single entity to a [[patterns:Data Transfer Object|DTO]]. For the latter there is no syntactical grouping. The reader of the code has to find out that the first four lines of the loop body belong together. The code also doesn't explicitly state that these four lines convert an entity to a DTO. So the following code is better: 
 + 
 +<code java> 
 +public List<ResultDto> buildResult(Set<ResultEntity> resultSet) { 
 +    List<ResultDto> result = new ArrayList<>(); 
 +    for (ResultEntity entity : resultSet) { 
 +        result.add(toDto(entity)); 
 +    } 
 +    return result; 
 +
 + 
 +private ResultDto toDto(ResultEntity entity) { 
 +    ResultDto dto = new ResultDto(); 
 +    dto.setShoeSize(entity.getShoeSize());         
 +    dto.setNumberOfEarthWorms(entity.getNumberOfEarthWorms()); 
 +    dto.setAge(computeAge(entity.getBirthday())); 
 +    return dto; 
 +
 +</code> 
 + 
 +Now there are two smaller methods each of which is written in terms of a single level of abstraction. This is better readable as no mental grouping is necessary. Furthermore the two methods are still separately understandable ([[Principle of Separate Understandability|PSU]]) so no mental inlining is necessary and if you don't care about the details of the ''toDto'' method, you can just read and understand ''buildResult'' without being distracted by unnecessary detail. 
 + 
 +==== Example2: Comment Plus Code Block ==== 
 + 
 +==== Example3: Parameter Checking ==== 
 + 
 +==== Example4: Extracting Classes ====
  
 ===== Description Status ===== ===== Description Status =====
principles/single_level_of_abstraction.txt · Last modified: 2021-10-18 22:03 by christian