Questions tagged [language-agnostic]
This tag is for questions that aren't specific to a programming language or environment.
520
questions
-2
votes
2answers
180 views
Is looping an array to compare to itself considered O(n^2)? [duplicate]
Often when I'm doing an operation comparing an array to itself, I write code along these lines:
function operation (array) {
for (let i = 0; i < array.length; i++) {
for (let j = i + 1; j <...
0
votes
1answer
108 views
How to deal with metaclasses in strong-typed language : is it ok to mix classes and metaclasses?
I'm working on a programming language design ans I'm struggling with how I should type the concept of Class.
Let me show you some code to illustrate my problem :
class MyClass
{
}
function ...
2
votes
2answers
146 views
Programming a library in multiple languages
I am planning to implement a cryptographic library for several languages and looking for best practices. I have looked at several threads, especially this, this, and this one, which answer my ...
1
vote
5answers
342 views
Why OOP languages use the syntax “object.function()” to send a message?
In C++ and Java and many other OOP languages, in order to send a message to an object, you have to use the object.function() syntax, for example:
myCar.start(); // send the start() message to the ...
3
votes
5answers
249 views
How can billion integer ids be stored and specific ones checked for existence most efficiently? (persistent solution, not just in-memory)
Let me preface this by saying that I am familiar with RDBMS. I have a solution using mysql/mariadb but I am not happy with the efficiency of the solution so I'm looking for alternatives.
I'm trying ...
4
votes
4answers
213 views
How to describe a function argument that is used as a hint/best-effort?
Say I have a server exposing an api that let me retrieve 'things', there are a lot of things, and as such retrieving all things at once could take down the server, hence the exposed API returns ...
8
votes
9answers
2k views
Returning true/nothing instead of true/false?
Is it OK to have a function that returns true/nothing instead of true/false?
My examples use JavaScript, but I'm wondering about the general case, not attached to one specific language.
The subjects ...
-1
votes
1answer
29 views
How to check whether module or class is network interface, socket?
Background
Simplifying, assume I want to write some tool for code-analysis, which tell me which files - class/module - are/have some kind of network interface(s). No matter if it's REST Controller, ...
-4
votes
1answer
93 views
Does it makes sense to implement a REST API for every app?
Is it mandatory to implement a REST API even if it doesn't make sense?
I have created an app consuming REST services from other apps. Now that I have the final result, I wonder if it is needed to ...
8
votes
3answers
665 views
Is it bad practice to add “false or” or “true and” to conditionals?
Is it bad practice to add false or ... or true and ... for the sake of promoting code genericness and/or ease of use?
As in:
SELECT *
FROM table
WHERE TRUE
AND IsEnabled
AND SomeField = some_value
...
0
votes
4answers
77 views
When to use known languages/libraries vs. investing in learning new ones?
This question is asked in a general way. In case it is hard to understand, I have added a concrete example below. I am interested in the answer to the general question.
I have a lot of experience ...
0
votes
1answer
47 views
Organizing Parallel Arrays of Promises / Async tasks
I'm struggling a bit for a preferred way to organize a sequence of asynchronous tasks that can be applied in parallel. Say, you are parsing data from many files. In my case I'm using javascript and ...
7
votes
8answers
401 views
Should a function throw exceptions based on its expected behavior or its goal state?
My coworker and I are debating the correct design for an API. Say we have a function void deleteBlogPost(int postId). What should this function do if the blog post indexed with postId does not exist?
...
0
votes
1answer
42 views
What Actually Indicates the end of a Socket Input/Output feed?
In the most abstract, platform agnostic way possible, can someone explain what actually determines the end of input/output a socket? Is this something the programming language itself typically handles ...
3
votes
3answers
331 views
Why is it better to use parameters instead of temporary global variables?
If you're a very old programmer like me you may have written stuff like this early on:
DIM A, B, C
LET A = 2
LET B = 2
GOSUB ADD
PRINT C
END
ADD:
LET C = A + B
RETURN
(Actually, if you're an ...
-2
votes
1answer
63 views
Are all sockets implemented as per the Berkeley sockets specification?
Are all sockets implemented as per the Berkeley sockets specification in all platforms or languages? What I am trying to understand is; is this the only standard for sockets implementation or there ...
2
votes
1answer
108 views
Parallel execution: 1 thread pool or N thread pools?
I have a tree generated by configuration.
Each leaf of the tree is a long running task (like DB query, reading from file, etc.) that gives a result I want to store in a mirrored tree with only the ...
1
vote
3answers
205 views
Are 'array elements' and 'array values' the same?
Array := {"title": "Book Title", "author": "John Doe"}
Some people use the following terminology:
title and author are keys.
Book Title and John Doe are values.
"title": "Book Title" and "author": ...
1
vote
5answers
342 views
When do I stop being paranoid about my code failing? [closed]
I'm currently designing a system that, no matter how hard I try to break, slow network, failures, random server deaths, it can recover and it can re-build again. Each action it does is a fragment and ...
2
votes
2answers
174 views
Is there a guideline as to when I should pass a collection as an argument or return a new collection?
Suppose I have the following methods:
def read(file: str) -> List[str]:
temp = []
with open(file) as f_obj:
for line in f_obj:
temp.append(line)
return temp
def ...
1
vote
1answer
87 views
What is the BNF (or BNF-like) syntax for a specific number of repetitions?
I would like to write something like
<byte> ::= <bit>*8
to mean that a <byte> is a sequence of exactly 8 <bit>'s.
Is there a way to do this in BNF[1][2] or a widely used ...
2
votes
2answers
136 views
Localize a countdown timer
I have a very specific localization problem that I have not had any luck finding specific information about in my research.
I have an app that I'm localizing that shows elapsed minutes(M), seconds(S),...
0
votes
2answers
103 views
Negation of sameness is confirmation of difference [closed]
De Morgan's laws:
the negation of a disjunction is the conjunction of the negations; and
the negation of a conjunction is the disjunction of the negations;
or, the same:
not (A or B) = not A and ...
0
votes
3answers
308 views
Do higher order functions violate the separation of data and code principle?
I am asking here something that is really haunting for years (for real !).
I guess in a "perfect world", we would have programs made of data models and functions, and those functions manipulate data ...
10
votes
5answers
526 views
If-else ladder that is supposed to catch all conditions - should a redundant final clause be added?
This is a thing I'm doing a lot lately.
Example:
setCircle(circle, i, { current }) {
if (i == current) {
circle.src = 'images/25CE.svg'
circle.alt = 'Now picking'
} else if (...
2
votes
1answer
265 views
Guard block moved to the bottom [closed]
Sometimes it is a good idea to have a guard block:
https://softwareengineering.stackexchange.com/a/157413
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guard_(computer_science)
Guard block guards against special ...
3
votes
1answer
221 views
How to make updates to data and return list of updates without breaking Command query separation or DRY?
I have a use case to make updates to a slightly complex JSON object and then return the list of changes made (not the updated data). The process of finding the list of changes is extremely similar to ...
3
votes
5answers
343 views
Should exceptions be only thrown if I intend to crash the program? [duplicate]
...I wanted to find the source before writing this Q, sadly I couldn't.
My mental model was that exceptions were thought as an alternative to returning error codes from a function, which is the C ...
1
vote
1answer
133 views
Bin packing with “flexible” items: Does this algorithmic problem have a name? [closed]
I have stumbled upon the following problem: I have one list of containers with "capacities", and a list of items with quantities. I want to assign those items to the containers. The total capacity of ...
2
votes
1answer
313 views
Does it violate GRASP if a Character class checks if it can carry a weapon?
Before I ask my question, I'm aware of Eric Lippert's Wizard and Warrior series.
I'm trying to understand GRASP, but I'm having a hard time determining if this class violates GRASP.
Suppose if I ...
4
votes
3answers
234 views
Is using exceptions to validate parameters a violation of using exceptions for control flow?
I was reading on SO and SESE about exceptions and control flow, but I can't seem to determine or figure out if using exceptions to validate parameters is a violation of that guideline.
Suppose I had ...
10
votes
2answers
718 views
How could thread safety be provided by a programming language similar to the way memory safety is provided by Java and C#?
Java and C# provide memory safety by checking array bounds and pointer dereferences.
What mechanisms could be implemented into a programming language to prevent the possibility of race conditions and ...
1
vote
1answer
64 views
(Fuzzy) Data duplication detection - scoring systems strategy
Many systems that store data in a structured manner (although this is marked language agnostic, the origin of this question is an MS SQL database) struggle with duplicates.
Taking a physical person/...
1
vote
3answers
665 views
How do I test unreachable code?
Let's say your company sells software that comes with customizable text, and your team's job is to customize it. The client engagement includes a contract in which the client specifies all of the text ...
7
votes
2answers
512 views
Encapsulating moving parts in OO vs Minimizing moving parts in FP
I am from OO background just started learning FP paradigm. Came across quote by Michael Feathers - "OO makes code understandable by encapsulating moving parts. FP makes code understandable by ...
1
vote
3answers
291 views
Are unit tests needed for a function that only calls another function?
Assuming OldModule.oldFunc, if we want to move oldFunc to NewModule and, for backward compatibility, keep oldFunc there merely calling NewModule.newFunc by passing the exact same arguments and doing ...
2
votes
2answers
242 views
Cumulative sum of overlapping increase/decrease over time
I am looking for an efficient way to handle a calculation. I have lots of timestamped events, representing loading and unloading of trucks. I need to construct the filling rate of these trucks over ...
11
votes
4answers
2k views
What should I do when optimistic locking doesn't work?
I have this following scenario:
A user makes a GET request to /projects/1 and receives an ETag.
The user makes a PUT request to /projects/1 with the ETag from step #1.
The user makes another PUT ...
3
votes
3answers
860 views
How to handle “Optimistic Locking” on a collection with ETag headers?
Consider endpoint /projects that returns a list of projects with the following headers:
HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Etag: "superEtag"
The etag value represents a hash of the entire collection and it does not ...
-2
votes
1answer
97 views
How to measure complexity of expressions?
I'm comparing two APIs to generate a method in C# and want to measure how "complex" the code to use them is. Consider:
API A:
MethodDeclaration(PredefinedType(Token(IntKeyword)), "CompareTo")
....
1
vote
4answers
567 views
What should be the last entry in a switch/case statement?
When writing a switch statement that only ever has to deal with a known set of values (imagine an implicit enumeration), I find myself wondering what should be the last entry in the construct. I'm ...
6
votes
3answers
339 views
Equal length variable names: tricks or alternatives? [closed]
This might be a super nerdy, OCD-like, silly question, but... I love it when related variables have names of equal length, such that when written below one another, it lines up nicely. Eg:
min/max:
...
9
votes
1answer
317 views
Name of technique for inferring type arguments of a type parameter?
Setup: Let's assume we have a type called Iterator which has a type parameter Element:
interface Iterator<Element> {}
Then we have an interface Iterable which has one method which will return ...
5
votes
6answers
630 views
Is it bad practice to code the solution, then redo in TDD?
I might be wrong, but I feel like the best approach to TDD is Solution, Red, Green, Refactor (adding "Solution" to the standard formula).
By coding the solution first, I feel like I am much more ...
1
vote
1answer
152 views
How can I used fixed-point arithmetic to convert from Celsius to Fahrenheit?
Disclaimer: I realize this is not the easiest or even best way to handle this and I am asking largely out of a sense of curiosity, not because I'm convinced this is the proper way. It's a fun puzzle I'...
1
vote
3answers
436 views
Does the Perfect Compiler trump source differences
Is it theoretically possible to create a perfect compiler for a language (for example C) meaning that if two different persons make two different implementations of the same algorithm then the ...
8
votes
5answers
401 views
Should methods that are not “pure functions” and that interact with external APIs or hardware be static?
When reading about when to make a method static or not, I've seen a general principle, as summarized by this post, that a method should only be static if it does not modify a state and its result ...
13
votes
4answers
1k views
How can you TDD for a bug that can only be tested after it has been fixed?
Here's one example: My web application contains draggable elements. When dragging an element, the browser produces a "ghost image". I want to remove the "ghost image" when dragging and I write a test ...
1
vote
1answer
60 views
Using a permissions object pervasively inside a project to mimic an effect system
There's a design pattern of sorts that I've thought about but haven't seen implemented where every function / method passes around a permissions object. I'm wondering whether using it in a project is ...
3
votes
2answers
159 views
API across multiple languages. Use idiomatic code for each or support the same API structure
I'm currently working on a project which requires to support multiple languages as first class citizens and I'm facing a dilemma. I can choose between implementing the API as closely as possible for ...
