Preventative Programming Techniques: Avoid and Correct Common Mistakes (Programming Series)

Preventative Programming Techniques provides programmers with a clear and intelligent approach to detecting, preventing, and correcting the most common mistakes. It includes practical ways to reduce problems that occur every day, and provides methods for correcting problems that already exist. Using a medical metaphor, each of the common problems is presented as an illness. Each illness is then presented in a structured approach that includes a basic description, common symptoms, prevention methods, cures, and related illnesses to look for.The majority of the principles and practices espoused are language independent and focus on instructing programmers how to detect and avoid problems. It also includes guidelines on determining when and how to refactor or rewrite code. Some of the major and minor illnesses found throughout programming, include premature optimization, CAP (cut and paste) epidemic, NIH (not invented here) syndrome, complexification, oversimplification, docuphobia, and more. If you're a programmer, you've made these mistakes or you've had to deal with code that has them in it.To learn how to prevent and fix these problems, check out all of the illnessesyou're sure to find insightful tips for your own projects. Novice programmers will benefit greatly from reading through each category of illness from start to finish, and experienced programmers will benefit from the insightful tips and anecdotes. Programming 1-58450-257-6 1 Table of Contents 2 BackCover 3 Preventative Programming Techniques-Avoid and Correct Common Mistakes 4 What Is a Programmer Illness? 6 Who Should Read This Book? 7 How to Use This Book 8 No Silver Bullet 10 Part I: Major Illnesses 11 Chapter 1: Premature Optimization 12 Symptoms 13 Prevention 34 Cure 41 Related Illnesses 46 First Aid Kit 47 Summary 49 Chapter 2: CAP Epidemic 50 Symptoms 51 Prevention 55 Cure 80 Related Illnesses 84 First Aid Kit 85 Summary 86 Chapter 3: NIH Syndrome 87 Symptoms 88 Prevention 92 Cure 110 Related Illnesses 113 First Aid Kit 114 Summary 115 Part II: Minor Illnesses 116 Chapter 4: Complexification 117 Symptoms 118 Prevention 122 Cure 127 Related Illnesses 129 First Aid Kit 130 Summary 131 Chapter 5: Over Simplification 132 Symptoms 133 Prevention 135 Cure 137 Related Illnesses 140 First Aid Kit 141 Summary 142 Chapter 6: Docuphobia 143 Symptoms 144 Prevention 148 Cure 156 Related Illnesses 158 First Aid Kit 159 Summary 161 Chapter 7: i 162 Symptoms 163 Prevention 165 Cure 170 Related Illnesses 173 First Aid Kit 174 Summary 175 Chapter 8: Hardcode 176 Symptoms 177 Prevention 180 Cure 185 Related Illnesses 189 First Aid Kit 190 Summary 191 Chapter 9: Brittle Bones 192 Symptoms 193 Prevention 199 Cure 201 Related Illnesses 202 First Aid Kit 203 Summary 204 Chapter 10: Requirement Deficiency 205 Symptoms 206 Prevention 208 Cure 212 Related Illnesses 214 First Aid Kit 215 Summary 216 Chapter 11: Myopia 217 Symptoms 218 Prevention 219 Cure 221 Related Illnesses 223 First Aid Kit 224 Summary 225 Chapter 12: Conclusion 226 Appendices 232 Appendix A: Teamwork 232 Appendix B: References 235 Appendix C: About the CD-ROM 236 Tools 237 System Requirements 238 Index 239 B 240 C 241 D 244 E 246 F 247 G 248 H 249 I 250 J 253 K 254 L 255 M 256 N 257 O 258 P 259 R 261 S 262 T 264 U 265 V 266 W 267 X 268 Y 269 List of Figures 270 List of Tables 273 List of Sidebars 274 CD Content 275 # Paperback: 322 pages # Publisher: Charles River (March 26,2003) # Language: English # ISBN-10: 1584502576 # ISBN-13: 978-1584502579 Annotation This insightful guide teaches programmers how to detect and prevent the most common programming mistakes using a non-language specific approach. Using a medical metaphor, each mistake is explained as an illness with methods for detecting, preventing, and curing them. The practical guidelines provided will save programmers valuable time and help prevent redundancy and unnecessary refactoring Premature optimization encompasses any optimization that is made before it is required.