Questions tagged [code-smell]
Determining what is and is not a "code smell" is subjective, and varies by language, developer and development methodology. Before you ask if some technique is a "code smell," ask yourself what the consequences to your specific project would be, if you used the technique. Simply asking whether something is a "code smell" or not is too subjective.
151
questions
1
vote
4answers
169 views
Feature Envy vs. Single Responsibility Principle: Data class and a validator for it
Let's say I have a class that's a bit more than a pure Data object, i.e. it holds some data and some basic queries about that data. (In this case, it's a class representing a timetable)
Now, I want ...
2
votes
1answer
49 views
Should a Mover and Tracker be separate classes to maintain SRP?
I'm doing some Java code practice to better understand the Single Responsibility Principle. Currently, I'm working with a network of data structures, where each structure implements an interface ...
2
votes
0answers
97 views
Code quality balancing with need to perform scientific analysis on your own software
We have a project that is meant to do signal processing. If all we had to do with the software was that one job, we would have a pretty clean architecture. Unfortunately, we've run into an issue most ...
0
votes
2answers
60 views
How to set object parameters
I am rewriting a lexer class that has several "parameters" like whitespaceSplit.
So it goes this way:
lexer = new Lexer();
lexer.whitespaceSplit = true;
lexer.otherParameter = ...;
lexer.parse(file);...
19
votes
8answers
6k views
Is there a better way to use C# dictionaries than TryGetValue?
I find myself often looking up questions online, and many solutions include dictionaries. However, whenever I try to implement them, I get this horrible reek in my code. For example every time I want ...
0
votes
0answers
201 views
Is using a non-compile-time-constant value as a default parameter a code smell? [duplicate]
I'm trying to use App.config and Configuration Manager for the first time. I wanted to use some values in App.config as default parameters for some methods, but this results in an error (not a compile ...
0
votes
1answer
112 views
Is a “concrete function” over “generic function” a good implementation?
I want to know others opinion about this approach that I use in a lot of projects, for example, I can show the last time that I use it:
public class DataStorageService {
private enum Keys {
...
1
vote
1answer
151 views
use always get and set methods is a bad practique, is call directly an attribute class a bad practique in OOP?
I have a doubt about if there are some recommendations for call directly an attribute in a class
I think that in OOP you always should call an attribute by the get method.
For example:
On set
...
-1
votes
5answers
252 views
How can I efficiently write a complex if or switch condition that depends on a combination of two (or more) variables? [duplicate]
In my current case, I've got two variables. Let's call them action and status for ease of use. They can have any value between 1 and 9. Depending on business logic, I've to either call subActionA() or ...
10
votes
4answers
1k views
is this way of calling a function a bad practice?
I have the following code:
public void moveCameraTo(Location location){
moveCameraTo(location.getLatitude(), location.getLongitude());
}
public void moveCameraTo(double latitude, double ...
0
votes
1answer
341 views
Two reversed dictionaries or one dictionary with key and value lookup?
I have situation where in the Repository class I have a dictionary:
Dictionary<TableName, Dictionary<EntityColumnName, SourceColumnName> map1 = new Dictionary<TableName, Dictionary<...
2
votes
4answers
119 views
Date comparison with the last second of a day
Would you consider
WHERE SomeDate <= '2018-01-01 23:59:59'
instead of
WHERE SomeDate < '2018-01-02'
When the intention is that SomeDate goes no further then 2018-01-01
a code smell and if ...
0
votes
4answers
558 views
Is using the Pair class a sign of primitive obsession code smell?
Let's say I use a Pair in this way:
Pair<Long, Date> signup = getSignup();
System.out.println("User with ID " + signup.getLeft() + " signed up on " + signup.getRight());
Is it a form of ...
7
votes
2answers
395 views
Class that returns multiple unrelated values, are there better way to accomplish this?
I have a "tracker" class. This class tracks objects from a given input image. But in addition to this, there is another parameter that corresponds to a value used in generating the image. The ...
2
votes
1answer
280 views
How do I use polymorphism instead of instanceof?
I'm trying to make an abstract board game. In the game, a player can choose to make multiple actions within one turn such as placing, moving, or rotating a piece. I'm not sure if whether or not my ...
-1
votes
1answer
66 views
My action creators and reducers all mostly look the same - is this a code smell?
Most of my redux actions are 'fetch some data from the database, here's the authentication token', and they for the most part look the same, like this:
action creator
export const fetchDashboard = ...
1
vote
1answer
155 views
Why is using an internal attribute to filter objects considered OK, but when I use a map to filter based on attributes, it's considered a code smell?
A long time ago I asked about using an enum to essentially use as a poor version of instanceof to make decisions about an object.
As stated in this answer:
When your weapon types enum just mirrors ...
-1
votes
1answer
127 views
Have an object communicate with another object
I asked similar question earlier this morning, and for whatever reason, I'm not getting a complete answer to my question. I'll ask it a different way.
I was attempting to understand Eric Lippert's ...
2
votes
2answers
109 views
Using a Collection with Attributes to Check and Make Decisions
I was reading on this SESE page about using a variable to indicate the object type, more specifically, an enum.
The accepted answer states:
When your weapon types enum just mirrors the class ...
0
votes
2answers
249 views
Formatting a string by converting to a number then back to a string
I'm not sure whether this qualifies as code smell, or if there may be some better way of performing the same task, but, basically, I want to format a 10 digit string, using C#, and have the following ...
3
votes
5answers
354 views
Using a variable to indicate object type
The use of instanceof or getClass() is largely considered code smell. Is using a variable to indicate the type of object you're using also considered code smell?
Suppose if I had an enum called ...
0
votes
2answers
138 views
Building dynamic code that can still handle many one-offs?
So we're having a rather heated debate at work as to what would be the best practice going forward while refactoring our reporting system. Most of us have some strong opinions one way or the other, ...
7
votes
2answers
5k views
Should a trait refer to parent methods?
Is it a code smell if the methods in my trait refer to parent::methods or to methods that are assumed to be in the utilising class?
A random (senseless) example
trait foo
{
public function bar()
...
4
votes
1answer
3k views
How to improve a pattern 'enum class with methods'
Over many years, I always find myself reconsidering this design, so I wanted to get some feedback on my solution to it.
Problem:
I need a limited amount of objects = instances from a class, and I ...
2
votes
4answers
567 views
Use of static methods to implement logic within a class
I've recently caught an odd behaviour in my own coding: At some point in the last year I began creating protected static methods to implement the logic of my public methods, ensuring that the ...
1
vote
1answer
113 views
Is a Presentation potentially a god object?
I'm working on a project with a MVP architecture.
My program revolve around forms that give rights to people.
There are X differents forms depending on profiles ( so there are X differents profiles)
I ...
2
votes
4answers
405 views
code smell: passing through variables [closed]
Consider this simple example:
def a(val_x, val_y):
return 5 + b(val_x, val_y)
def b(val_x, val_y):
return 1 + c(val_x, val_y)
def c(val_x, val_y):
return val_x * val_y
Passing the ...
4
votes
2answers
507 views
Is using spacing effectively equivalent to the long method code smell?
There's a common code smell involving long methods with the most common answer being that methods should be really small, less than 50 lines per say (or 20). I understand why this is because it ...
1
vote
2answers
695 views
MVVM. Is it a code smell when view model has properties with names show/hide/display that semantically belong to view?
I've lately been involved with WPF and looked into MVVM. I understand that view model shouldn't be aware of view.
However, sometimes I come across situation where my initial instinct is to write ...
7
votes
1answer
2k views
How do I refactor a Data Class to not be one?
We recently upgrade to PMD 6.0.0 and are getting several classes flagged as "Data Classes"? It argues that it breaks encapsulation and makes for brittle design (I understand that this site has a ...
3
votes
3answers
289 views
Is there an elegant way to write code with differing paths having a common middle segment?
I started out with the following, simple routine:
void originalCode(){
boolean status = getStatus();
function2(status);
if(status){
return;
}
function3();
}
But ...
3
votes
1answer
654 views
Hash Table with iterators as the keys, is this poor design and can I do this better?
I'm developing a program where twice I've found the solution to a problem was to use hash tables with iterators as keys and some other arbitrary type as the value.
I found my self using this pattern ...
-1
votes
4answers
1k views
Can factory pattern avoid code smell?
With two existing implementations, UFOEnemyShip & RocketEnemyShip,
To introduce every new implementation implementing EnemyShip interface, shown below,
changes are needed in factory class ...
-1
votes
1answer
197 views
Police selection without hard coding an if statement
I'm trying to model the security of my project using DDD but I ended up in a dead end.
I have the User, UserA, and UserB classes that were modeled as follows. What changes in practice is that UserA ...
1
vote
1answer
1k views
Clear examples for code smells [closed]
does anybody know how the code smells "rigidity", "fragility", "immobility" and "viscosity" can be explained in short code examples?
I've found a lot of text but never a source code example.
Thanks ...
0
votes
2answers
218 views
Is implementations not being interchangeable and having to cast often a code smell?
I'm building a small game similar to chess. I'd like to be able to reuse the structure for another version of checkers too. I'm modeling the games with interfaces (showing only relevant ones):
...
5
votes
1answer
3k views
Definition of brittle unit tests
I've seen the terms brittle and fragile used to describe poorly written unit tests. But I haven't been able to find a clear definition for what brittle or fragile actually mean in this context.
Is it ...
5
votes
4answers
5k views
Are empty interfaces (but not marker interfaces) a bad programming practice?
I'm designing an architecture in which I have:
public interface IObjectReader{
public Object read();
}
public class ConcreteObjectReader implements IObjectReader{
@Override
public ...
3
votes
4answers
340 views
Sugar Classes as code smell
Over the years I've been switching back and forward on the idea of creating Sugar Classes.
Sooner or later I find myself repeating the same operation over an existing type. Like string manipulation, ...
10
votes
4answers
961 views
Reworking a function returning an integer code that represents many different statuses
I've inherited some awful code that I've included a short sample of below.
Is there a name for this particular anti-pattern?
What are some recommendations for refactoring this?
// 0=Need to log in / ...
-1
votes
2answers
2k views
What is the difference between Code Smells and Anti Patterns?
I am trying to understand the difference between these two terms. In some contexts that these two terms have been used interchangeably. What is the exact difference between these two terms ?
14
votes
3answers
2k views
When is it okay to use Parallel Arrays?
I've been running into code (new code) that uses what I call 'Parallel Arrays' or Lists. Meaning there are 2 arrays that contain related data and are linked by their position (index) in the array.
I ...
5
votes
4answers
5k views
Multiple properties/methods giving the same result
I'm trying to ascertain whether the use of multiple references to the same property is code smell / an anti-pattern, based on the needs of the organisation.
As an example, consider:
abstract class ...
1
vote
1answer
117 views
Refactoring code dependent on external class
I have a class similar to ServletFilter which has multiple validation on the input request
class TokenHandler implements SomeHandler{
Response handle(Request request){
if(paramXMissing(request))...
4
votes
3answers
1k views
DependencyInjection - Constructor over-injection smell vs service locator - where is the proper approach?
I am trying to improve my MVC projects and I read a few articles about DI, IoC containers, Constructor Injection and Service locators. I wanted to go with Ninject to help with the dependencies, but ...
0
votes
2answers
627 views
Does this code have only one level of abstraction?
I'm trying to apply some good practices from Clean Code in my code, but I'm stuck trying to figure out if my code has a [G34] code smell, which tells that functions should descend only one level of ...
5
votes
5answers
2k views
Should constructors ever be used only for side-effects?
Summary: Why is it wrong to design a constructor only for its side effects, and then to use the constructor without ever assigning its return value to a variable?
I'm working on a project that ...
2
votes
3answers
429 views
Refactoring Atrocious Java Code [duplicate]
So I recently started a new job for a small software company. They've got some old technology which I was aware of during the interview process.
However, I've been digging into their code-base, and I'...
3
votes
0answers
243 views
Does using returnTrue() or returnFalse() functions a code-smell?
I was trying to understand how jQuery's cross-browser events work, when I noticed these two functions in the source code:
function returnTrue() {
return true;
}
function returnFalse() {
...
15
votes
3answers
6k views
Mocking introduces handling in production code
Assuming an IReader interface, an implementation of the IReader interface ReaderImplementation, and a class ReaderConsumer that consumes and processes data from the reader.
public interface IReader
{
...
