CSC/ECE 517 Fall 2011/ch7 7d rt

AntiPatterns in Software Development

Introduction

The term antipattern was coined by Andrew Koenig<ref name = koenig/>, in 1995. He was inspired by a story told about Thomas Edison's many failed attempts to find a suitable material for the filament of a light bulb. When asked if he was discouraged, Edison replied that indeed he was not; he now knew hundreds of items that wouldn't work.

Koenig believed that the same philosophy should be applied to software development. As he studied the book Design Patterns presented by the GoF<ref name = gof/>, he felt that it was just as important to identify potential pitfulls as well as positive practices. He named these non-solutions antipatterns. He defined an antipattern as "just like a pattern, except that instead of a solution it gives something that looks superficially like a solution but isn't one." <ref name = koenig/>

In 1998, another group of four authors expanded on this idea publishing AntiPatterns: Refactoring Software, Architectures, and Projects in Crisis. The book identified antipatterns from three different viewpoints: the software developer, the software architect and the software manager. The authors used two criteria to distinguish antipatterns: It was a frequent occurence, that initially seemed to be beneficial, but ultimately was not and There is an alternate solution that is proven and repeatable

Through the years the concept has been further exteneded to apply to additional areas of software development as well as areas outside the realm of programming. This article will address software development antipatterns.

Just like patterns, antipatterns have certain elements. They include: Name so that they can be identified. A description of why the bad solution might be attractive An explanation of how that solution is bad long-term Suggestions for other patterns that provide better solutions

References

<references> <ref name = koenig> Koenig, Andrew (March/April 1995). "Patterns and Antipatterns". Journal of Object-Oriented Programming 8 (1): 46–48.; was later re-printed in the: Rising, Linda (1998). The patterns handbook: techniques, strategies, and applications. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press. p. 387. </ref> <ref name = gof> Design Patterns by Gang of Four</ref> </references>