Podcast
Questions and Answers
Which of the following best describes the primary purpose of abstraction in software architecture?
Which of the following best describes the primary purpose of abstraction in software architecture?
- To ensure every component of the system is meticulously documented and understood at a granular level.
- To simplify complex systems by representing only essential features and hiding unnecessary details. (correct)
- To maximize the number of interconnected components within a system, ensuring no single module operates independently.
- To create a one-to-one mapping between real-world entities and software components for complete fidelity.
What is the main motivation behind employing architectural abstraction?
What is the main motivation behind employing architectural abstraction?
- To focus on specific aspects of a system without being overwhelmed by the intricacies of each individual component. (correct)
- To create a rigid, inflexible system architecture that can be easily maintained and modified.
- To develop a comprehensive understanding of every single line of code in the entire system.
- To increase the complexity of the system, ensuring that all edge cases are explicitly addressed.
In the context of software architecture, what does decomposition refer to?
In the context of software architecture, what does decomposition refer to?
- The technique of creating circular dependencies between different modules to improve performance.
- The practice of obfuscating code to protect intellectual property and prevent reverse engineering.
- The act of breaking down large entities into smaller, more specialized ones. (correct)
- The process of combining multiple software systems into a single monolithic application.
Which of the following is a primary benefit of effective decomposition in software architecture?
Which of the following is a primary benefit of effective decomposition in software architecture?
Consider a 'Customer' class that is responsible for managing customer profiles, processing orders, and handling customer support inquiries. Which architectural principle is most clearly violated?
Consider a 'Customer' class that is responsible for managing customer profiles, processing orders, and handling customer support inquiries. Which architectural principle is most clearly violated?
What is the most likely consequence of poor decomposition in a software system?
What is the most likely consequence of poor decomposition in a software system?
A software architect decides to represent a complex order processing system using a simplified model that only includes key components such as 'Order,' 'Customer,' and 'Payment.' What type of abstraction is being applied?
A software architect decides to represent a complex order processing system using a simplified model that only includes key components such as 'Order,' 'Customer,' and 'Payment.' What type of abstraction is being applied?
In the context of abstraction, what is the primary goal of 'hiding unnecessary details'?
In the context of abstraction, what is the primary goal of 'hiding unnecessary details'?
In the context of software design, what is the MOST significant drawback of high coupling between classes?
In the context of software design, what is the MOST significant drawback of high coupling between classes?
Which strategy BEST exemplifies a shift from tight coupling to loose coupling between two classes, Customer and Order?
Which strategy BEST exemplifies a shift from tight coupling to loose coupling between two classes, Customer and Order?
What is the MOST accurate definition of cohesion in the context of object-oriented design?
What is the MOST accurate definition of cohesion in the context of object-oriented design?
A Professor class is responsible for handling student registration, creating class instances and managing multiple interactions. How would you BEST describe the design of this class?
A Professor class is responsible for handling student registration, creating class instances and managing multiple interactions. How would you BEST describe the design of this class?
Which scenario BEST illustrates low cohesion within a class?
Which scenario BEST illustrates low cohesion within a class?
In object-oriented design, what is the relationship between high cohesion and loose coupling in creating maintainable and scalable systems?
In object-oriented design, what is the relationship between high cohesion and loose coupling in creating maintainable and scalable systems?
Consider a system where the PaymentProcessor class directly creates instances of the Logger class to record transactions, but any failure in the logging process causes payment processing to halt. What design principle is MOST directly violated?
Consider a system where the PaymentProcessor class directly creates instances of the Logger class to record transactions, but any failure in the logging process causes payment processing to halt. What design principle is MOST directly violated?
Which approach would BEST improve cohesion in a class currently responsible for both data validation and database interaction?
Which approach would BEST improve cohesion in a class currently responsible for both data validation and database interaction?
Flashcards
Abstraction
Abstraction
Simplifying complex problems by representing essential features while hiding unnecessary details.
Architecture Abstraction
Architecture Abstraction
A high-level representation or simplification of complex software systems, designs, or structures.
Decomposition
Decomposition
Breaking down a large entity into smaller, specialized parts to create more modular, maintainable, and flexible designs.
Poor Decomposition
Poor Decomposition
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Improved Decomposition
Improved Decomposition
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Customer Class Responsibility
Customer Class Responsibility
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Order Class Responsibility
Order Class Responsibility
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Motivation for Decomposition
Motivation for Decomposition
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Coupling
Coupling
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High Coupling Effect
High Coupling Effect
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Tight Coupling
Tight Coupling
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Loose Coupling
Loose Coupling
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Cohesion
Cohesion
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Low Cohesion
Low Cohesion
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High Cohesion
High Cohesion
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Mixed Responsibilities
Mixed Responsibilities
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Study Notes
- Architecture abstraction simplifies complex problems
- Architecture abstraction represents essential features while hiding unnecessary details
Motivation
- Abstraction is a crucial tool in software development which simplifies complexity
- Abstraction promotes effective problem-solving
Architecture Abstraction
- A high-level representation or simplification of complex systems, designs, or structures
Motivation
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Architecture abstraction focuses on particular aspects of a system without getting bogged down by the intricacies of every component
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User story 1: add a new customer
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As a customer service representative, add new customer details to the system
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Customers can place an order
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Customer information is stored for future use
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Decomposition is breaking down large entities into smaller and more specialized entities
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Motivations include more modular, maintainable, and flexible software designs
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Model decomposition provides multiple levels of granularity
Poor Decomposition
- Customer class is responsible for all entities
- Customer class is responsible for all operations
- Includes many responsibilities per class
Improved Decomposition
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Customer class is responsible for representing customer to access information
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Order class is responsible for dealing with order elements
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Christopher Strachey, an LGBTQ+ software engineering scientist, revolutionized programming languages in the 1960s by creating denotational semantics
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Denotational semantics uses math to describe how programs work
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Strachey made it easier to design and understand languages
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Strachey's ideas continue to influence modern, object-oriented languages like Python
Coupling
- Coupling is the density of dependencies among classes
- High coupling means there are many dependencies
- Low coupling means there are few dependencies
Motivation
- When a class changes and there is high coupling, many other classes will need to change as well
Tight Coupling
Customer class creates an Order object directly within its method
- Order class maintains a direct reference to the Customer object (customer attribute)
- Order depends on the Customer to be created
Loose Coupling
- Order class no longer directly references the Customer class
- Customer information (name and email) is referred to as parameters with methods get() and set()
Cohesion
- Cohesion is the degree of unity or closeness among the elements within a class
Motivation
- Each class should represent a single concept
- All methods of the class should be directly applicable to the concept
- Classes that are multi-concept or have unrelated methods reduce effectiveness and indicate a need for improvements
Low Cohesion
- Customer mixing responsibilities with Order
High Cohesion
- Order class no longer deals with other elements
- Customer information is restricted to the class
In summary
- University system handles most processes of creating instances, registering students, and so on
- There are multiple interactions and instance creations among classes
- Mixed responsibilities exist, e.g., the professor
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