Code reusability is key to creating efficient and reliable systems in software development. Reusing code can save time and money by allowing you to build new features without starting from scratch.
There are several ways to maximize your code reusability, but the most effective methods will vary depending on the specific needs of your project.
What Is Code Reuse In Software Development?
In software development, code reuse is the application of previously written code in new or existing programs. You can do this in various ways, including by copying and pasting, importing, inheriting, or by linking.
When done correctly, code reuse can help improve the quality and efficiency of software development. It can also help reduce the amount of time and effort needed to write new code and the number of errors that are made.
However, code reuse can lead to decreased quality and increased complexity in software products if it's not executed well.
Therefore, it's critical for software developers to understand how to reuse code effectively and take advantage of the benefits while avoiding the pitfalls.
Why Is It Possible To Reuse Code?
To reuse code, three things are needed: the ability to access the code, the willingness of developers to write reusable code, and the existence of a library or module that is available for use.
In most cases, code reuse is possible due to the proliferation of good, open-source libraries. These non-proprietary libraries allow you to copy and paste code into your own project without having to write it yourself.
However, this code is only available because of developers who are willing and able to write reusable code and share access to that code.
Additionally, several other factors make code reuse possible in software development, including:
- The ability to modularize code or break it down into smaller pieces that you can reuse separately
- The existence of common functions and algorithms that you can use in multiple places
- The use of well-defined interfaces between modules, which allows them to work independently
- A standard way of sharing modules and interfaces, such as an Application Programming Interface (API)
What Factors Prevent Code Reuse?
Code reuse can be difficult to implement, and may not be worth it, or even possible, to do so. For example, you may not be able to access the code you need, or the developers may not have written or shared access to a library of code that you need.
Moreover, even if you do find the code you need, the time required to modify the code to fit your project may be better spent developing your own code.
There are several barriers that may prevent code reuse, including:
- The code is proprietary and is therefore not available to the public
- The code is undocumented or poorly written
- The code is specific to a particular platform or environment
- The code is no longer maintained or supported
Why Code Reuse Is Important In Software Development?
There are many reasons why code reuse is vital in software development.Some of the most notable benefits include:
- Improved quality and reliability: When code is reused, it has already been tested and proven to work. As such, it reduces the chances that your developers will introduce errors into your program.
- Reduced time and effort: Reusing code can save you time and effort, because if the code already exists then you don't have to develop your program from scratch. Your team can use the time saved to focus on building new features or functions instead.
- Reduced complexity: Code reuse can also help reduce the overall complexity of your system by providing a standard way for modules to interact with each other.
- Improved maintainability: If you design new code to be reusable, it will be easier to maintain and modify than code that’s designed specifically to a single project. This is because reusable code should be highly cohesive, have loose coupling, and be modular.
- Cost-effectiveness: Reusing code can also save you money because it is usually less expensive than writing new code from scratch.
- Improved learning: Reusable code provides a good way for new developers to learn how a system works and how different parts are related.
- Better organization: Well-structured code can help improve system organization by allowing different parts of a project to be reused together, which means you could go so far as to reuse entire modules.
- Reduced dependency: Building your own reusable code can also reduce the dependency on specific developers, libraries, or platforms, thereby providing you with more control over your reusable code.
How Is Reusable Code Used In The Software Development Environment?
There are many different ways that your team can implement reusable code during software development.
The following offers situational examples of when you might find code reuse beneficial for your software development project:
- Opportunistic reuse: This is when you are using code written for a different project, but you discover that part of the code can be applied to a different project that your team is working on.
- Planned reuse: This is when you are writing code specifically to be reused for additional software development projects in the future.
- Internal reuse: When code is reused internally, it is used within the same project. Your team can do this by copying and pasting code into different modules or including it as a library.
- External reuse: When code is reused externally, it is used in another project. You can do this by downloading a library or module from a public site or writing code compatible with an existing library.
- Referenced reuse: When referenced, you are not actually using the code itself but are instead referencing it. Your team can do this by adding a library to your project or including a header file.
- Forked reuse: This is when you are using a library or module made by someone else, but it has been altered to fit the needs of your project better.
- Emergency reuse: This is when you use code that your team did not write for your project, but it is the only thing available that you can use to solve the problem.
Maximizing The Ability To Reuse Code
Because reusable code can significantly improve the efficiency of your software development, it should be maximally implemented in your software development projects.
The following are a few tips on how to do just that:
1. Modularization
One of the best ways to maximize your ability to reuse code is by modularizing your system. Modules are small components that can be used to construct a larger, more complex program. By modularizing your system, you'll make it easier to apply reused code where it's needed.
2. Maintain High Cohesion
If your developers are writing code that will be reused in future projects, ensure each module has high cohesion. Cohesion measures how closely related the functions in a block of code are to one another. Basically, it refers to how well two systems are able to work together.
Code with low cohesion won’t be as adaptable to serve other functions, which means reusing it with other code to serve a different function (other than its initial function) on other projects will be challenging.
To maximize your ability to reuse this kind of code, make sure that all the functions within a single module work together while still being loosely related at the same time. If you have low cohesion, it won't be easy to reuse your code because the different parts won't work well together.
3. Make The Code More Portable By Loose Coupling
Another way to make it easier to reuse code that you have developed is by making the code more portable. You can do this through loose coupling. Loosely-coupled systems aren't overly dependent on each other, which means you'll have less difficulty reusing them because they won't need a lot of changes or tweaks.
Essentially, it means that the modules aren’t strictly bound together, nor do they depend on each other to serve their original purpose. As a result, loose coupling allows modules to work independently of each other, making them easier to apply to other projects.
4. Testing Methods Or Classes
Another way to make it easy to reuse code is by testing the methods/classes in your project. When you test, it means that you'll know more about how each class or method works and whether there are any issues with them.
In some cases, a few of the modules you want to reuse may need testing again because of changes made through refactoring (the process of restructuring existing code to improve the design without affecting its intended functionality). It won't be as tricky to re-test if this happens since testing will have already been completed for some parts of the system.
Additionally, making utility classes can also help ensure that reusable code is effective. Utility classes are used when several different components share many similar features. This makes reusing their functionality possible across multiple components when they are broken into smaller pieces, which makes maintenance easier.
5. Ensure Flexibility
Developers should aim to build flexible code, as this will maximize the ability to reuse it across different applications. Moreover, flexibility in the code will reduce the difficulty of modifying and applying the code to other projects. The more difficult it is to make adjustments or completely overhaul a section of code, the less reusable it will be.
6. Document The Software Supply Chain
Documenting the software supply chain will make it easier to find and reuse the code you need without having to search too much to find it. Be sure to keep track of where each piece of code came from and its purpose.
7. Only Authorize The Reuse Of Trusted Code Sources
Only authorize the reuse of trusted code sources. Build in a procedure that can be used to appraise and test a new module or package that your team wants to submit into your software development project.d.
By doing this, you'll ensure that the code used in your project is of the highest quality and has been tested for any potential issues.
8. Dynamic Linked Libraries
Using dynamic linked libraries allows you to share code between different programs easily and makes it possible for the library modules to be updated without impacting the other programs that are using them. Doing this will make it easier for your team to share and therefore reuse the code they have created.
The Advantages And Risks Of Code Reuse
Before you begin reusing code for your software development projects, you must understand both the benefits of doing so as well as the potential risks.
Keeping that in mind, the following are the advantages and disadvantages of code reuse.
The Advantages
The following are the primary reasons why you should consider code reuse when developing new software applications:
A Faster Development Phase
Code reuse can help you reduce the amount of time needed for development. Leveraging existing code for the functions and features of your software program will cut the time needed to develop that code yourself. Your development cycles will be faster as a result.
Moreover, it is common for errors to arise in the code development process. Existing code may have fewer errors, especially if it has been industry-approved, so less time is required to find and fix any errors.
Reduced Project Costs
A project can become increasingly expensive, especially if it is complex and prolonged. You can reduce your project costs by reusing existing code as large parts of the code will already be available. If you spend less on software development technologies, programs, and the experts to develop your code, you can save a substantial amount of money.
A Great End Product
Quality assurance is important when developing a new product. If you use certified, pre-tested code, it can help ensure the software you are developing will be more reliable and consistent. In addition, it will also be easier to maintain and update over time. As a result, you'll be more able to produce a high-quality end product.
The Risks
As beneficial as code reuse may seem, there are a few risks.
Keep the following disadvantages in mind when deciding to implement code reuse.
The Vulnerability Of The Code
If you're using pre-existing code instead of writing your own, your codebase could potentially be vulnerable to security attacks. If the code does not have a history of being thoroughly tested, it may contain security vulnerabilities that hackers could exploit once your product is launched. Even using one piece of insecure code within a bigger component can lead to large-scale problems.
Codebase Can Become Difficult to Manage
Each time you reuse pre-existing code, it becomes a part of your project's codebase. So the more modules used in the project, the larger it becomes.
As a result, your codebase may become exponentially larger and more challenging to manage as your software development project continues, leading to more potential bugs.
Less Control
When you reuse code from a third party, you lose some degree of control over it since you didn’t build the code in-house. If you're using a third party's open-source code, then anyone can use and modify the components you reused at any time, which could change your ability to reuse the code in the future.
Not to mention that if it’s not open-source (and even if it is in some cases), the owner of the code can change the terms of the license, which can affect how you’re allowed to use it.
What Makes Code Reuse Challenging?
As beneficial as code reuse may seem, it can be difficult to reuse code on a larger scale. The following are a few external forces that can make code reuse challenging:
Organization And Scale
Code reuse can be challenging to organize and manage on a larger scale because many different code libraries need to be integrated, and the process can be very complex. In addition, it can be difficult to keep track of all the different code modules and ensure that they're working correctly together.
Administration
When reusing code, you will need to ensure that all the code modules are working correctly, that the necessary updates have been made, and that any bugs are fixed.
Because so many administrative tasks are involved with code reuse, it can be expensive to manage, especially if you have a lot of software projects being developed simultaneously.
Politics And Psychology
Politics and psychology can also impact code reuse. Some team members may not believe in the benefits of code reuse. It can also be challenging to convince people that it's worth the effort. Not to mention, some developers may not want to use existing code modules out of pride or stubbornness.
Progressing With Reusable Code – Is It Sustainable?
Even though code reuse is not always practical or possible, it's still worth trying. It would help if you do what you can to make code reuse more effective. The following are a few challenges that need to be addressed and understood for reusable code to work better:
The Operational Side
The operational side of code reuse needs more time and resources to be successful. As such, you will need people responsible for managing the code, integrating it into projects, and ensuring that it's working correctly.
In addition, you need to allocate enough time for these tasks to be done effectively.
The Technical Side
The technical side of code reuse also needs to be considered. You need to ensure the code is secure, reliable, and efficient. You also need to make sure it's easy to maintain so that your team can use it in various projects.
You'll need developers skilled in working with reusable code, ensuring its security and reliability, and making sure it's efficient and easy to maintain. Code reuse can be difficult or impossible to implement effectively without the necessary skills.
Design Your End Product To Work Effectively And Efficiently
Even though code reuse can be difficult, there are multiple benefits that warrant its use. By addressing the challenges of reusing code, you can make your development projects more effective and efficient.
In addition, by designing your end product to work with reusable code, you can save time and resources. With careful planning and execution, code reuse can be a valuable tool in your software development toolbox.
