Overview: Tweak as per peer-testing results, draft Project Portfolio Page, practice product demo.
Project Management:
- Freeze features around this time. Ensure the current product have all the features you intend to release at v1.4. Adding major changes after this point is risky. The remaining time is better spent fixing problems discovered late or on fine-tuning the product.
- Ensure the code attributed to you by RepoSense is correct, as reported in the Code Dashboard
Relevant: [
In previous semesters we asked students to annotate all their code using special @@author
tags so that we can extract each student's code for grading. This semester, we are trying out a new tool called RepoSense that is expected
to reduce the need for such tagging, and also make it easier for you to see (and learn from) code written by others.
1. View the current status of code authorship data:
- The report generated by the tool is available at Code Dashboard (BETA). The feature that is most relevant to you is the Code Panel (shown on the right side of the screenshot above). It shows the code attributed to a given author. You are welcome to play around with the other features (they are still under development and will not be used for grading this semester).
- Click on your name to load the code attributed to you (based on Git blame/log data) onto the code panel on the right.
- If the code shown roughly matches the code you wrote, all is fine and there is nothing for you to do.
2. If the code does not match:
-
Here are the possible reasons for the code shown not to match the code you wrote:
- the git username in some of your commits does not match your GitHub username (perhaps you missed our instructions to set your Git username to match GitHub username earlier in the project, or GitHub did not honor your Git username for some reason)
- the actual authorship does not match the authorship determined by git blame/log e.g., another student touched your code after you wrote it, and Git log attributed the code to that student instead
-
In those cases,
- Install RepoSense (see the Getting Started section of the RepoSense User Guide)
- Use the two methods described in the RepoSense User Guide section Configuring a Repo to Provide Additional Data to RepoSense to provide additional data to the authorship analysis to make it more accurate.
- If you add a
config.json
file to your repo (as specified by one of the two methods),- Please use the template json file given in the module website so that your display name matches the name we expect it to be.
- If your commits have multiple author names, specify all of them e.g.,
"authorNames": ["theMyth", "theLegend", "theGary"]
- Update the line
config.json
in the.gitignore
file of your repo as/config.json
so that it ignores theconfig.json
produced by the app but not the_reposense/config.json
.
- If you add
@@author
annotations, please follow the guidelines below:
Adding @@author
tags indicate authorship
-
Mark your code with a
//@@author {yourGithubUsername}
. Note the double@
.
The//@@author
tag should indicates the beginning of the code you wrote. The code up to the next//@@author
tag or the end of the file (whichever comes first) will be considered as was written by that author. Here is a sample code file://@@author johndoe method 1 ... method 2 ... //@@author sarahkhoo method 3 ... //@@author johndoe method 4 ...
-
If you don't know who wrote the code segment below yours, you may put an empty
//@@author
(i.e. no GitHub username) to indicate the end of the code segment you wrote. The author of code below yours can add the GitHub username to the empty tag later. Here is a sample code with an emptyauthor
tag:method 0 ... //@@author johndoe method 1 ... method 2 ... //@@author method 3 ... method 4 ...
-
The author tag syntax varies based on file type e.g. for java, css, fxml. Use the corresponding comment syntax for non-Java files.
Here is an example code from an xml/fxml file.<!-- @@author sereneWong --> <textbox> <label>...</label> <input>...</input> </textbox> ...
-
Do not put the
//@@author
inside java header comments.
👎/** * Returns true if ... * @@author johndoe */
👍
//@@author johndoe /** * Returns true if ... */
What to and what not to annotate
-
Annotate both functional and test code There is no need to annotate documentation files.
-
Annotate only significant size code blocks that can be reviewed on its own e.g., a class, a sequence of methods, a method.
Claiming credit for code blocks smaller than a method is discouraged but allowed. If you do, do it sparingly and only claim meaningful blocks of code such as a block of statements, a loop, or an if-else statement.- If an enhancement required you to do tiny changes in many places, there is no need to annotate all those tiny changes; you can describe those changes in the Project Portfolio page instead.
- If a code block was touched by more than one person, either let the person who wrote most of it (e.g. more than 80%) take credit for the entire block, or leave it as 'unclaimed' (i.e., no author tags).
- Related to the above point, if you claim a code block as your own, more than 80% of the code in that block should have been written by yourself. For example, no more than 20% of it can be code you reused from somewhere.
- 💡 GitHub has a blame feature and a history feature that can help you determine who wrote a piece of code.
-
Do not try to boost the quantity of your contribution using unethical means such as duplicating the same code in multiple places. In particular, do not copy-paste test cases to create redundant tests. Even repetitive code blocks within test methods should be extracted out as utility methods to reduce code duplication. Individual members are responsible for making sure code attributed to them are correct. If you notice a team member claiming credit for code that he/she did not write or use other questionable tactics, you can email us (after the final submission) to let us know.
-
If you wrote a significant amount of code that was not used in the final product,
- Create a folder called
{project root}/unused
- Move unused files (or copies of files containing unused code) to that folder
- use
//@@author {yourGithubUsername}-unused
to mark unused code in those files (note the suffixunused
) e.g.
//@@author johndoe-unused method 1 ... method 2 ...
Please put a comment in the code to explain why it was not used.
- Create a folder called
-
If you reused code from elsewhere, mark such code as
//@@author {yourGithubUsername}-reused
(note the suffixreused
) e.g.//@@author johndoe-reused method 1 ... method 2 ...
-
You can use empty
@@author
tags to mark code as not yours when RepoSense attribute the to you incorrectly.-
Code generated by the IDE/framework, should not be annotated as your own.
-
Code you modified in minor ways e.g. adding a parameter. These should not be claimed as yours but you can mention these additional contributions in the Project Portfolio page if you want to claim credit for them.
-
- After you are satisfied with the new results (i.e., results produced by running RepoSense locally), push the
config.json
file you added and/or the annotated code to your repo. We'll use that information the next time we run RepoSense (we run it at least once a week). - If you choose to annotate code, please annotate code chunks not smaller than a method. We do not grade code snippets smaller than a method.
- If you encounter any problem when doing the above or if you have questions, please post in the forum.
We recommend you ensure your code is RepoSense-compatible by v1.3
Product:
- Consider increasing code coverage by adding more tests if it is lower than the level you would like it to be. Take note of
our expectation on test code . - After you have sufficient code coverage, fix remaining code quality problems and bring up the quality to your target level.
- There is no requirement for a minimum coverage level. Note that in a production environment you are often required to have at least 90% of the code covered by tests. In this project, it can be less. The less coverage you have, the higher the risk of regression bugs, which will cost marks if not fixed before the final submission.
- You must write some tests so that we can evaluate your ability to write tests.
- How much of each type of testing should you do? We expect you to decide. You learned different types of testing and what they try to achieve. Based on that, you should decide how much of each type is required. Similarly, you can decide to what extent you want to automate tests, depending on the benefits and the effort required.
- Applying TDD is optional. If you plan to test something, it is better to apply TDD because TDD ensures that you write functional code in a testable way. If you do it the normal way, you often find that it is hard to test the functional code because the code has low testability.
Relevant: [
-
Ensure your code has at least some evidence of these (see here for more info)
- logging
- exceptions
- assertions
- defensive coding
-
Ensure there are no coding standard violations e.g. all boolean variables/methods sounds like booleans. Checkstyle can prevent only some coding standard violations; others need to be checked manually.
-
Ensure SLAP is applied at a reasonable level. Long methods or deeply-nested code are symptoms of low-SLAP may be counted against your code quality.
-
Reduce code duplications i.e. if there multiple blocks of code that vary only in minor ways, try to extract out similarities into one place, especially in test code.
-
In addition, try to apply as many of the
code quality guidelines covered in the module as much as you can.
Code Quality
Introduction
Basic
Can explain the importance of code quality
Always code as if the person who ends up maintaining your code will be a violent psychopath who knows where you live. -- Martin Golding
Guideline: Maximise Readability
Introduction
Can explain the importance of readability
Programs should be written and polished until they acquire publication quality. --Niklaus Wirth
Among various dimensions of code quality, such as run-time efficiency, security, and robustness, one of the most important is understandability. This is because in any non-trivial software project, code needs to be read, understood, and modified by other developers later on. Even if we do not intend to pass the code to someone else, code quality is still important because we all become 'strangers' to our own code someday.
The two code samples given below achieve the same functionality, but one is easier to read.
Bad
|
|
Good
|
Bad
|
|
Good
|
Basic
Avoid Long Methods
Can improve code quality using technique: avoid long methods
Be wary when a method is longer than the computer screen, and take corrective action when it goes beyond 30 LOC (lines of code). The bigger the haystack, the harder it is to find a needle.
Avoid Deep Nesting
Can improve code quality using technique: avoid deep nesting
If you need more than 3 levels of indentation, you're screwed anyway, and should fix your program. --Linux 1.3.53 CodingStyle
In particular, avoid arrowhead style code.
Example:
Avoid Complicated Expressions
Can improve code quality using technique: avoid complicated expressions
Avoid complicated expressions, especially those having many negations and nested parentheses. If you must evaluate complicated expressions, have it done in steps (i.e. calculate some intermediate values first and use them to calculate the final value).
Example:
Bad
return ((length < MAX_LENGTH) || (previousSize != length)) && (typeCode == URGENT);
Good
boolean isWithinSizeLimit = length < MAX_LENGTH;
boolean isSameSize = previousSize != length;
boolean isValidCode = isWithinSizeLimit || isSameSize;
boolean isUrgent = typeCode == URGENT;
return isValidCode && isUrgent;
Example:
Bad
return ((length < MAX_LENGTH) or (previous_size != length)) and (type_code == URGENT)
Good
is_within_size_limit = length < MAX_LENGTH
is_same_size = previous_size != length
is_valid_code = is_within_size_limit or is_same_size
is_urgent = type_code == URGENT
return is_valid_code and is_urgent
The competent programmer is fully aware of the strictly limited size of his own skull; therefore he approaches the programming task in full humility, and among other things he avoids clever tricks like the plague. -- Edsger Dijkstra
Avoid Magic Numbers
Can improve code quality using technique: avoid magic numbers
When the code has a number that does not explain the meaning of the number, we call that a magic number (as in “the number appears as if by magic”). Using a
Example:
Bad
|
|
Good
|
Note: Python does not have a way to make a variable a constant. However, you can use a normal variable with an ALL_CAPS
name to simulate a constant.
Bad
|
|
Good
|
Similarly, we can have ‘magic’ values of other data types.
Bad
"Error 1432" // A magic string!
Make the Code Obvious
Can improve code quality using technique: make the code obvious
Make the code as explicit as possible, even if the language syntax allows them to be implicit. Here are some examples:
- [
Java
] Use explicit type conversion instead of implicit type conversion. - [
Java
,Python
] Use parentheses/braces to show grouping even when they can be skipped. - [
Java
,Python
] Useenumerations when a certain variable can take only a small number of finite values. For example, instead of declaring the variable 'state' as an integer and using values 0,1,2 to denote the states 'starting', 'enabled', and 'disabled' respectively, declare 'state' as typeSystemState
and define an enumerationSystemState
that has values'STARTING'
,'ENABLED'
, and'DISABLED'
.
Intermediate
Structure Code Logically
Can improve code quality using technique: structure code logically
Lay out the code so that it adheres to the logical structure. The code should read like a story. Just like we use section breaks, chapters and paragraphs to organize a story, use classes, methods, indentation and line spacing in your code to group related segments of the code. For example, you can use blank lines to group related statements together. Sometimes, the correctness of your code does not depend on the order in which you perform certain intermediary steps. Nevertheless, this order may affect the clarity of the story you are trying to tell. Choose the order that makes the story most readable.
Do Not 'Trip Up' Reader
Can improve code quality using technique: do not 'trip up' reader
Avoid things that would make the reader go ‘huh?’, such as,
- unused parameters in the method signature
- similar things look different
- different things that look similar
- multiple statements in the same line
- data flow anomalies such as, pre-assigning values to variables and modifying it without any use of the pre-assigned value
Practice KISSing
Can improve code quality using technique: practice kissing
As the old adage goes, "keep it simple, stupid” (KISS). Do not try to write ‘clever’ code. For example, do not dismiss the brute-force yet simple solution in favor of a complicated one because of some ‘supposed benefits’ such as 'better reusability' unless you have a strong justification.
Debugging is twice as hard as writing the code in the first place. Therefore, if you write the code as cleverly as possible, you are, by definition, not smart enough to debug it. --Brian W. Kernighan
Programs must be written for people to read, and only incidentally for machines to execute. --Abelson and Sussman
Avoid Premature Optimizations
Can improve code quality using technique: avoid premature optimizations
Optimizing code prematurely has several drawbacks:
- We may not know which parts are the real performance bottlenecks. This is especially the case when the code undergoes transformations (e.g. compiling, minifying, transpiling, etc.) before it becomes an executable. Ideally, you should use a profiler tool to identify the actual bottlenecks of the code first, and optimize only those parts.
- Optimizing can complicate the code, affecting correctness and understandability
- Hand-optimized code can be harder for the compiler to optimize (the simpler the code, the easier for the compiler to optimize it). In many cases a compiler can do a better job of optimizing the runtime code if you don't get in the way by trying to hand-optimize the source code.
A popular saying in the industry is make it work, make it right, make it fast which means in most cases getting the code to perform correctly should take priority over optimizing it. If the code doesn't work correctly, it has no value on matter how fast/efficient it it.
Premature optimization is the root of all evil in programming. --Donald Knuth
Note that there are cases where optimizing takes priority over other things e.g. when writing code for resource-constrained environments. This guideline simply a caution that you should optimize only when it is really needed.
SLAP Hard
Can improve code quality using technique: SLAP hard
Avoid varying the level of
Example:
Bad
readData();
salary = basic*rise+1000;
tax = (taxable?salary*0.07:0);
displayResult();
Good
readData();
processData();
displayResult();
Design → Design Fundamentals → Abstraction →
What
Abstraction is a technique for dealing with complexity. It works by establishing a level of complexity (or an aspect) we are interested in, and suppressing the more complex details below that level (or irrelevant to that aspect).
Most programs are written to solve complex problems involving large amounts of intricate details. It is impossible to deal with all these details at the same time. The guiding principle of abstraction stipulates that we capture only details that are relevant to the current perspective or the task at hand.
Ignoring lower level data items and thinking in terms of bigger entities is called data abstraction.
Within a certain software component, we might deal with a user data type, while ignoring the details contained in the user data item such as name, and date of birth. These details have been ‘abstracted away’ as they do not affect the task of that software component.
Control abstraction abstracts away details of the actual control flow to focus on tasks at a simplified level.
print(“Hello”)
is an abstraction of the actual output mechanism within the computer.
Abstraction can be applied repeatedly to obtain progressively higher levels of abstractions.
An example of different levels of data abstraction: a File
is a data item that is at a higher level than an array and an array is at a higher level
than a bit.
An example of different levels of control abstraction: execute(Game)
is at a higher level than print(Char)
which is at a higher than an
Assembly language instruction MOV
.
Advanced
Make the Happy Path Prominent
Can improve code quality using technique: make the happy path prominent
The happy path (i.e. the execution path taken when everything goes well) should be clear and prominent in your code. Restructure the code to make the happy path unindented as much as possible. It is the ‘unusual’ cases that should be indented. Someone reading the code should not get distracted by alternative paths taken when error conditions happen. One technique that could help in this regard is the use of guard clauses.
Example:
Bad
if (!isUnusualCase) { //detecting an unusual condition
if (!isErrorCase) {
start(); //main path
process();
cleanup();
exit();
} else {
handleError();
}
} else {
handleUnusualCase(); //handling that unusual condition
}
In the code above,
- Unusual condition detection is separated from their handling.
- Main path is nested deeply.
Good
if (isUnusualCase) { //Guard Clause
handleUnusualCase();
return;
}
if (isErrorCase) { //Guard Clause
handleError();
return;
}
start();
process();
cleanup();
exit();
In contrast, the above code
- deals with unusual conditions as soon as they are detected so that the reader doesn't have to remember them for long.
- keeps the main path un-indented.
Guideline: Follow a Standard
Introduction
Can explain the need for following a standard
One essential way to improve code quality is to follow a consistent style. That is why software engineers follow a strict coding standard (aka style guide).
The aim of a coding standard is to make the entire code base look like it was written by one person. A coding standard is usually specific to a programming language and specifies guidelines such as the location of opening and closing braces, indentation styles and naming styles (e.g. whether to use Hungarian style, Pascal casing, Camel casing, etc.). It is important that the whole team/company use the same coding standard and that standard is not generally inconsistent with typical industry practices. If a company's coding standards is very different from what is used typically in the industry, new recruits will take longer to get used to the company's coding style.
💡 IDEs can help to enforce some parts of a coding standard e.g. indentation rules.
What is the recommended approach regarding coding standards?
c
What is the aim of using a coding standard? How does it help?
Basic
Can follow simple mechanical style rules
Learn basic guidelines of the Java coding standard (by OSS-Generic)
Sample coding standard: PEP 8 Python Style Guide -- by Python.org
Consider the code given below:
import java.util.*;
public class Task {
public static final String descriptionPrefix = "description: ";
private String description;
private boolean important;
List<String> pastDescription = new ArrayList<>(); // a list of past descriptions
public Task(String d) {
this.description = d;
if (!d.isEmpty())
this.important = true;
}
public String getAsXML() { return "<task>"+description+"</task>"; }
/**
* Print the description as a string.
*/
public void printingDescription(){ System.out.println(this); }
@Override
public String toString() { return descriptionPrefix + description; }
}
In what ways the code violate the basic guidelines (i.e., those marked with one ⭐️) of the OSS-Generic Java Coding Standard given here?
Here are three:
descriptionPrefix
is a constant and should be namedDESCRIPTION_PREFIX
- method name
printingDescription()
should be named asprintDescription()
- boolean variable
important
should be named to sound boolean e.g.,isImportant
There are many more.
Intermediate
Can follow intermediate style rules
Go through the provided Java coding standard and learn the intermediate style rules.
According to the given Java coding standard, which one of these is not a good name?
b
Explanation: checkWeight
is an action. Naming variables as actions makes the code harder to follow. isWeightValid
may be a better name.
Repeat the exercise in the panel below but also find violations of intermediate level guidelines.
Consider the code given below:
import java.util.*;
public class Task {
public static final String descriptionPrefix = "description: ";
private String description;
private boolean important;
List<String> pastDescription = new ArrayList<>(); // a list of past descriptions
public Task(String d) {
this.description = d;
if (!d.isEmpty())
this.important = true;
}
public String getAsXML() { return "<task>"+description+"</task>"; }
/**
* Print the description as a string.
*/
public void printingDescription(){ System.out.println(this); }
@Override
public String toString() { return descriptionPrefix + description; }
}
In what ways the code violate the basic guidelines (i.e., those marked with one ⭐️) of the OSS-Generic Java Coding Standard given here?
Here are three:
descriptionPrefix
is a constant and should be namedDESCRIPTION_PREFIX
- method name
printingDescription()
should be named asprintDescription()
- boolean variable
important
should be named to sound boolean e.g.,isImportant
There are many more.
Here's one you are more likely to miss:
* Print the description as a string.
→* Prints the description as a string.
There are more.
Guideline: Name Well
Introduction
Can explain the need for good names in code
Proper naming improves the readability. It also reduces bugs caused by ambiguities regarding the intent of a variable or a method.
There are only two hard things in Computer Science: cache invalidation and naming things. -- Phil Karlton
Basic
Use Nouns for Things and Verbs for Actions
Can improve code quality using technique: use nouns for things and verbs for actions
Use nouns for classes/variables and verbs for methods/functions.
Examples:
Name for a | Bad | Good |
---|---|---|
Class | CheckLimit |
LimitChecker |
method | result() |
calculate() |
Distinguish clearly between single-valued and multivalued variables.
Examples:
Good
Person student;
ArrayList<Person> students;
Good
student = Person('Jim')
students = [Person('Jim'), Person('Alice')]
Use Standard Words
Can improve code quality using technique: use standard words
Use correct spelling in names. Avoid 'texting-style' spelling. Avoid foreign language words, slang, and names that are only meaningful within specific contexts/times e.g. terms from private jokes, a TV show currently popular in your country
Intermediate
Use Name to Explain
Can improve code quality using technique: use name to explain
A name is not just for differentiation; it should explain the named entity to the reader accurately and at a sufficient level of detail.
Examples:
Bad | Good |
---|---|
processInput() (what 'process'?) |
removeWhiteSpaceFromInput() |
flag |
isValidInput |
temp |
If the name has multiple words, they should be in a sensible order.
Examples:
Bad | Good |
---|---|
bySizeOrder() |
orderBySize() |
Imagine going to the doctor's and saying "My eye1 is swollen"! Don’t use numbers or case to distinguish names.
Examples:
Bad | Bad | Good |
---|---|---|
value1 , value2 |
value , Value |
originalValue , finalValue |
Not Too Long, Not Too Short
Can improve code quality using technique: not too long, not too short
While it is preferable not to have lengthy names, names that are 'too short' are even worse. If you must abbreviate or use acronyms, do it consistently. Explain their full meaning at an obvious location.
Avoid Misleading Names
Can improve code quality using technique: avoid misleading names
Related things should be named similarly, while unrelated things should NOT.
Example: Consider these variables
colorBlack
: hex value for color blackcolorWhite
: hex value for color whitecolorBlue
: number of times blue is usedhexForRed
: : hex value for color red
This is misleading because colorBlue
is named similar to colorWhite
and colorBlack
but has a different purpose while hexForRed
is named differently but has
very similar purpose to the first two variables. The following is better:
hexForBlack
hexForWhite
hexForRed
blueColorCount
Avoid misleading or ambiguous names (e.g. those with multiple meanings), similar sounding names, hard-to-pronounce ones (e.g. avoid ambiguities like "is that a lowercase L, capital I or number 1?", or "is that number 0 or letter O?"), almost similar names.
Examples:
Bad | Good | Reason |
---|---|---|
phase0 |
phaseZero |
Is that zero or letter O? |
rwrLgtDirn |
rowerLegitDirection |
Hard to pronounce |
right left wrong |
rightDirection leftDirection wrongResponse |
right is for 'correct' or 'opposite of 'left'? |
redBooks readBooks |
redColorBooks booksRead |
red and read (past tense) sounds the same |
FiletMignon |
egg |
If the requirement is just a name of a food, egg is a much easier to type/say choice than FiletMignon |
Guideline: Avoid Unsafe Shortcuts
Introduction
Can explain the need for avoiding error-prone shortcuts
It is safer to use language constructs in the way they are meant to be used, even if the language allows shortcuts. Some such coding practices are common sources of bugs. Know them and avoid them.
Basic
Use the Default Branch
Can improve code quality using technique: use the default branch
Always include a default branch in case
statements.
Furthermore, use it for the intended default action and not just to execute the last option. If there is no default action, you can use the 'default' branch to detect errors (i.e. if execution reached the default
branch, throw an exception). This also applies to the final else
of an if-else
construct. That is, the final else
should mean 'everything else', and not the final option.
Do not use else
when an if
condition can be explicitly specified, unless there is absolutely no other possibility.
Bad
if (red) print "red";
else print "blue";
Good
if (red) print "red";
else if (blue) print "blue";
else error("incorrect input");
Don't Recycle Variables or Parameters
Can improve code quality using technique: don't recycle variables or parameters
- Use one variable for one purpose. Do not reuse a variable for a different purpose other than its intended one, just because the data type is the same.
- Do not reuse formal parameters as local variables inside the method.
Bad
double computeRectangleArea(double length, double width) {
length = length * width;
return length;
}
Good
double computeRectangleArea(double length, double width) {
double area;
area = length * width;
return area;
}
Avoid Empty Catch Blocks
Can improve code quality using technique: avoid empty catch blocks
Never write an empty catch
statement. At least give a comment to explain why the catch
block is left empty.
Delete Dead Code
Can improve code quality using technique: delete dead code
We all feel reluctant to delete code we have painstakingly written, even if we have no use for that code any more ("I spent a lot of time writing that code; what if we need it again?"). Consider all code as baggage you have to carry; get rid of unused code the moment it becomes redundant. If you need that code again, simply recover it from the revision control tool you are using. Deleting code you wrote previously is a sign that you are improving.
Intermediate
Minimise Scope of Variables
Can improve code quality using technique: minimise scope of variables
Minimize global variables. Global variables may be the most convenient way to pass information around, but they do create implicit links between code segments that use the global variable. Avoid them as much as possible.
Define variables in the least possible scope. For example, if the variable is used only within the if
block of the conditional statement, it should be declared inside that if
block.
The most powerful technique for minimizing the scope of a local variable is to declare it where it is first used. -- Effective Java, by Joshua Bloch
Resources:
Minimise Code Duplication
Can improve code quality using technique: minimise code duplication
Code duplication, especially when you copy-paste-modify code, often indicates a poor quality implementation. While it may not be possible to have zero duplication, always think twice before duplicating code; most often there is a better alternative.
This guideline is closely related to the
Supplmentary → Principles →
DRY Principle
DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself) Principle: Every piece of knowledge must have a single, unambiguous, authoritative representation within a system The Pragmatic Programmer, by Andy Hunt and Dave Thomas
This principle guards against duplication of information.
The functionality implemented twice is a violation of the DRY principle even if the two implementations are different.
The value a system-wide timeout being defined in multiple places is a violation of DRY.
Guideline: Comment Minimally, but Sufficiently
Introduction
Can explain the need for commenting minimally but sufficiently
Good code is its own best documentation. As you’re about to add a comment, ask yourself, ‘How can I improve the code so that this comment isn’t needed?’ Improve the code and then document it to make it even clearer. --Steve McConnell, Author of Clean Code
Some think commenting heavily increases the 'code quality'. This is not so. Avoid writing comments to explain bad code. Improve the code to make it self-explanatory.
Basic
Do Not Repeat the Obvious
Can improve code quality using technique: do not repeat the obvious
If the code is self-explanatory, refrain from repeating the description in a comment just for the sake of 'good documentation'.
Bad
// increment x
x++;
//trim the input
trimInput();
Write to the Reader
Can improve code quality using technique: write to the reader
Do not write comments as if they are private notes to self. Instead, write them well enough to be understood by another programmer. One type of comments that is almost always useful is the header comment that you write for a class or an operation to explain its purpose.
Examples:
Bad Reason: this comment will only make sense to the person who wrote it
// a quick trim function used to fix bug I detected overnight
void trimInput(){
....
}
Good
/** Trims the input of leading and trailing spaces */
void trimInput(){
....
}
Bad Reason: this comment will only make sense to the person who wrote it
# a quick trim function used to fix bug I detected overnight
def trim_input():
...
Good
def trim_input():
"""Trim the input of leading and trailing spaces"""
...
Intermediate
Explain WHAT and WHY, not HOW
Can improve code quality using technique: explain what and why, not how
Comments should explain what and why aspect of the code, rather than the how aspect.
👍 What : The specification of what the code supposed to do. The reader can compare such comments to the implementation to verify if the implementation is correct
Example: This method is possibly buggy because the implementation does not seem to match the comment. In this case the comment could help the reader to detect the bug.
/** Removes all spaces from the {@code input} */
void compact(String input){
input.trim();
}
👍 Why : The rationale for the current implementation.
Example: Without this comment, the reader will not know the reason for calling this method.
// Remove spaces to comply with IE23.5 formatting rules
compact(input);
👎 How : The explanation for how the code works. This should already be apparent from the code, if the code is self-explanatory. Adding comments to explain the same thing is redundant.
Example:
Bad Reason: Comment explains how the code works.
// return true if both left end and right end are correct or the size has not incremented
return (left && right) || (input.size() == size);
Good Reason: Code refactored to be self-explanatory. Comment no longer needed.
boolean isSameSize = (input.size() == size) ;
return (isLeftEndCorrect && isRightEndCorrect) || isSameSize;
null
Documentation:
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Update documentation to match the product.
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Create the first version of your Project Portfolio Page (PPP). Reason: Each member needs to create a PPP to describe your contribution to the project. Creating a PPP takes a significant effort; it is too risky to leave it to the last week of the project.
Relevant: [
At the end of the project each student is required to submit a Project Portfolio Page.
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Objective:
- For you to use (e.g. in your resume) as a well-documented data point of your SE experience
- For us to use as a data point to evaluate your,
- contributions to the project
- your documentation skills
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Sections to include:
-
Overview: A short overview of your product to provide some context to the reader.
-
Summary of Contributions:
- Code contributed: Give a link to your code on Project Code Dashboard, which should be
https://nuscs2113-ay1819s1.github.io/dashboard/#=undefined&search=githbub_username_in_lower_case
(replacegithbub_username_in_lower_case
with your actual username in lower case e.g.,johndoe
). This link is also available in the Project List Page -- linked to the icon under your photo. - Main feature implemented: A summary of the main feature you implemented
- Other contributions:
- Contributions to project management e.g., setting up project tools, managing releases, managing issue tracker etc.
- Evidence of helping others e.g. responses you posted in our forum, bugs you reported in other team's products,
- Evidence of technical leadership e.g. sharing useful information in the forum
- [Optional] Other minor enhancements: If you have other enhancements that you implemented, which are not related to your main feature, you can include it here. If you have written a significant amount of code that can be advertised as a feature by itself, but does not belong to your main feature, you can choose to include it as a part of the optional enhancements.
- Code contributed: Give a link to your code on Project Code Dashboard, which should be
-
Contributions to the User Guide: Reproduce the parts in the User Guide that you wrote. This can include features you implemented as well as features you propose to implement.
The purpose of allowing you to include proposed features is to provide you more flexibility to show your documentation skills. e.g. you can bring in a proposed feature just to give you an opportunity to use a UML diagram type not used by the actual features. -
Contributions to the Developer Guide: Reproduce the parts in the Developer Guide that you wrote. Ensure there is enough content to evaluate your technical documentation skills and UML modelling skills. You can include descriptions of your design/implementations, possible alternatives, pros and cons of alternatives, etc.
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If you plan to use the PPP in your Resume, you can also include your SE work outside of the module (will not be graded)
-
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Format:
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File name:
docs/team/githbub_username_in_lower_case.adoc
e.g.,docs/team/johndoe.adoc
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Follow the example in the AddressBook-Level4, but ignore the following two lines in it.
- Minor enhancement: added a history command that allows the user to navigate to previous commands using up/down keys.
- Code contributed: [Functional code] [Test code] {give links to collated code files}
-
💡 You can use the Asciidoc's
include
feature to include sections from the developer guide or the user guide in your PPP. Follow the example in the sample. -
It is assumed that all contents in the PPP were written primarily by you. If any section is written by someone else e.g. someone else wrote described the feature in the User Guide but you implemented the feature, clearly state that the section was written by someone else (e.g.
Start of Extract [from: User Guide] written by Jane Doe
). Reason: Your writing skills will be evaluated based on the PPP -
Page limit: If you have more content than the limit given below, shorten (or omit some content) so that you do not exceed the page limit. Having too much content in the PPP will be viewed unfavorably during grading. Note: the page limits given below are after converting to PDF format. The actual amount of content you require is actually less than what these numbers suggest because the HTML → PDF conversion adds a lot of spacing around content.
Content Limit Overview + Summary of contributions 0.5-1 Contributions to the User Guide 1-3 Contributions to the Developer Guide 3-6 Total 5-10
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Demo:
- Do a product demo to serve as a rehearsal for the final project demo at v1.4
- Follow
final demo instructions as much as possible. - Cover all features, not just the ones added in the recent iteration.
- Try to make it a 'well prepared' demo i.e., know in advance exactly what you'll do in the demo.
- Follow
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Duration: Strictly
(teamSize x 3.5) + 1
minutes e.g. 19 minutes for a 5-person team. Exceeding this limit will be penalized. The extra minute is for the first speaker to give an overview of the product. -
Target audience: Assume you are giving a demo to a higher-level manager of your company, to brief him/her on the current capabilities of the product. This is the first time they are seeing the new product you developed but they are familiar with the AddressBook-level4 (AB4) product.
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Scope:
- Each person should demo the enhancements they added. However, it's ok for one member to do all the typing.
- Subjected to the constraint mentioned in the previous point, as far as possible, organize the demo to present a cohesive picture of the product as a whole, presented in a logical order. Remember to explain the target user profile and value proposition early in the demo.
- It is recommended you showcase how the feature improves the user’s life rather than simply describe each feature.
- No need to cover design/implementation details as the manager is not interested in those details.
- Mention features you inherited from AB4 only if they are needed to explain your new features. Reason: existing features will not earn you marks, and the audience is already familiar with AB4 features.
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Structure:
- Demo the product using the same executable you submitted, on your own laptop, using the TV.
- It can be a sitting down demo: You'll be demonstrating the features using the TV while sitting down. But you may stand around the TV if you prefer that way.
- It will be uninterrupted demo: The audience members will not interrupt you during the demo. That means you should finish within the given time.
- The app should be populated with a significant amount of
realistic data at the start. e.g at least 20 contacts. Trying to demo a product using just 1-2 sample data creates a bad impression. - Dress code : The level of formality is up to you, but it is recommended that the whole team dress at the same level. However, do avoid running shorts and flip-flops!
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Optimizing the time:
- Spend as much time as possible on demonstrating the actual product. Not recommended to use slides (if you do, use them sparingly) or videos or lengthy narrations.
Avoid skits, re-enactments, dramatizations etc. This is not a sales pitch or an informercial. While you need to show how a user use the product to get value, but you don’t need to act like an imaginary user. For example, [Instead of this]Jim get’s a call from boss. "Ring ring", "hello", "oh hi Jim, can we postpone the meeting?" "Sure". Jim hang up and curses the boss under his breath. Now he starts typing ..etc.
[do this]If Jim needs to postpone the meeting, he can type …
It’s not that dramatization is bad or we don’t like it. We simply don’t have enough time for it.
Note that CS2101 demo requirements may differ. Different context → Different requirements. - Rehearse the steps well and ensure you can do a smooth demo. Poor quality demos can affect your grade.
- Don’t waste time repeating things the target audience already knows. e.g. no need to say things like "We are students from NUS, SoC".
- Bring sufficient amount of sample data and know how to load them to the system. You should not plan to type all the sample data during the demo itself.
- Plan the demo to be in sync with the impression you want to create. For example, if you are trying to convince that the product is easy to use, show the easiest way to perform a task before you show the full command with all the bells and whistles.
- Limit the demo to CLI inputs only. Do not explain GUI inputs because they don't earn marks.
- Spend as much time as possible on demonstrating the actual product. Not recommended to use slides (if you do, use them sparingly) or videos or lengthy narrations.