How have you avoided challenges with object oriented design?

1 Use abstraction and encapsulation

Abstraction and encapsulation are two fundamental concepts of OOD that help you hide the implementation details of your classes and expose only the essential features and behaviors. Abstraction allows you to define a general interface for a group of related classes, such as an abstract class or an interface, and use polymorphism to implement different variations of the same functionality. Encapsulation protects the internal state and logic of your classes from external manipulation and ensures that they are only accessed through well-defined methods. By using abstraction and encapsulation, you can reduce the complexity and coupling of your code and make it easier to understand, test, and modify.

2 Follow the SOLID principles

The SOLID principles are a set of guidelines that help you design classes that are cohesive, loosely coupled, and easy to extend. The Single Responsibility Principle states that each class should have only one reason to change and one responsibility to fulfill. The Open-Closed Principle suggests that each class should be open for extension but closed for modification, meaning that new features can be added without having to change existing code. The Liskov Substitution Principle states that each subclass should be able to substitute its superclass without breaking the functionality or expectations of the code that uses it. The Interface Segregation Principle recommends that each interface should be small and focused on a specific role, and clients should not depend on methods they do not use. Finally, the Dependency Inversion Principle suggests that each class should depend on abstractions rather than concrete implementations, and high-level modules should not depend on low-level modules. By following these principles, you can improve the quality and maintainability of your code and avoid issues such as code duplication, tight coupling, and rigid design.

3 Apply design patterns

Design patterns are reusable solutions to common problems that arise in OOD, providing a common vocabulary and a proven structure for solving specific design challenges. Creational patterns, for instance, deal with the creation of objects, such as the factory method, the abstract factory, the singleton, or the builder. Structural patterns address the composition and arrangement of classes, such as the adapter, the bridge, the composite, or the decorator. Behavioral patterns focus on the interaction and communication between objects, such as the observer, the strategy, the command, or the mediator. By utilizing design patterns, you can effectively draw on other developers' experience and wisdom to avoid reinventing the wheel or introducing unnecessary complexity.

4 Refactor your code

Refactoring is an essential practice to keep your code clean, readable, and adaptable to changing requirements. It involves improving the design of your code without changing its functionality. Common reasons to refactor include eliminating code smells, applying OOD principles, and introducing new features. By refactoring regularly, you can prevent technical debt and ensure that your code remains in good shape and ready for future changes.

5 Review your code

Code review is the process of examining your code by yourself or by other developers to identify and fix errors, bugs, or inconsistencies. It is a great way to improve your OOD skills and learn from others' feedback and suggestions. The benefits of code review are numerous; it can help ensure quality, enforce standards, and share knowledge. It can detect mistakes that may affect the functionality, performance, or security of your code, as well as help you follow coding standards, conventions, and best practices. Furthermore, it can provide an opportunity to acquire knowledge about different aspects of OOD such as design patterns, principles, or techniques. Consequently, by reviewing your code frequently, you can enhance your OOD abilities and deliver better software products.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?