From KISS To DRY: 7 Must-Know Programming Principles In 2024

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In the world of software development, certain principles guide developers towards writing clean, efficient, and maintainable code. Here, we’ll explore seven fundamental programming principles—KISS, DRY, SOLID, YAGNI, SoC, LoD, and COI—each with examples to illustrate their importance and application.

Here are 7 Must-Know Programming Principles

Here are 7 Must-Know Programming Principles
Here Are 7 Must-Know Programming Principles

1. KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid)

Principle: Strive to keep your code as simple as possible. Avoid unnecessary complexity. The simpler the code the easier it is to understand, Debug and Maintain.

Example:

In the above example, the first version computes the area of a circle using a hardcoded value of pi, whereas the second version makes use of Python’s built-in math library, making the code simpler and more accurate.


2. DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself)

Principle: Aimed at reducing the repetition of information and stated as “Every piece of knowledge should have a single, unambiguous, authoritative representation.”

It essentially means that when writing code, you should consider the modularization feature you use more than once.

Example:

By using a single function print_message and passing a parameter, we avoid code duplication and make it easier to maintain.


3. SOLID Principles

Principle: A collection of five design principles for object-oriented programming to make software designs more understandable, flexible, and maintainable.

1. Single Responsibility Principle (SRP): A class should have only one reason to change, meaning it should have only one job or responsibility.

Example:

In the second example, the User class is responsible only for user data, UserRepository for database operations, and EmailService for sending emails.

2. Open/Closed Principle (OCP): Software entities should be open for extension but closed for modification.

Example:

The second example allows for new shapes to be added without modifying the AreaCalculator class.

3. Liskov Substitution Principle (LSP): Subtypes must be substitutable for their base types without altering the correctness of the program.

Example:

In the second example, Ostrich and other birds can be used interchangeably without causing unexpected behaviour.

4. Interface Segregation Principle (ISP): Clients should not be forced to depend on interfaces they do not use.

Example:

In the second example, Robot is not forced to implement the eat method since it doesn’t need it.

5. Dependency Inversion Principle (DIP): High-level modules should not depend on low-level modules. Both should depend on abstractions. Abstractions should not depend on details. Details should depend on abstractions.

Example:

The second example abstracts the Switchable interface, allowing Switch to operate any device that implements this interface, not just LightBulb.


4. YAGNI (You Aren’t Gonna Need It)

Principle: Do not add functionality until it is necessary.A minimalist approach to code can save time and reduce complexity.

Example:

Avoid adding methods or features based on anticipated future needs.

Focus on current requirements to keep the codebase clean and manageable.


5. SoC (Separation of Concerns)

Principle: Different concerns or functionalities should be separated into distinct sections of code.

Example: Separate data access logic from business logic. Each function handles a specific task.


6. LoD (Law of Demeter)

Principle: A module should not know the inner details of the objects it manipulates. Each unit should only talk to its immediate friends.

Example: Avoid chaining method calls.

The driver should only interact with Car and not directly with Engine.


7. COI (Convention Over Implementation)

Principle: It suggests using of conventions if available.

This reduces the need to specify configurations explicitly, speeding up development and reducing errors.


Understanding and applying these principles will lead to cleaner, more maintainable, and more efficient codebases. Each principle brings its own set of benefits and, when combined, they provide a robust foundation for any software project.

Learn More With AlgoRythm Solutions: Discover how these Programming Principles can revolutionize your coding.

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