Code Smell 16 — Ripple Effect

Maximiliano Contieri

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Nov 4, 2020 · 1 min read

Small changes yield unexpected problems.

Problems

• Coupling

Solutions

1. Decouple.
2. Cover with tests.
3. Refactor and isolate what is changing.
4. Depend on a interfaces.

Examples

• Legacy Systems

Sample Code

Wrong

Right

Detection

• It is not easy to detect problems before they happen. Mutation Testing and root cause analysis of single points of failures may help.

Tags

• Legacy

Conclusion

There are multiple strategies to deal with Legacy and coupled systems. We should deal with this problem before it explodes under our eyes.

Relations

• Code Smell 08 — Long Chains Of Collaborations

More info

• How to Decouple a Legacy System

Architecture is the tension between coupling and cohesion.

Neal Ford

This article is part of the CodeSmell Series.