What is architecture diagramming?

Architecture diagramming is the process of creating visual representations of software system components. In a
software system, the term architecture refers to various functions, their implementations, and their interactions with
each other. As software is inherently abstract, architecture diagrams visually illustrate the various data movements
within the system. They also highlight how the software interacts with the environment around it.

What are the benefits of architecture diagramming?

Architecture diagrams provide several benefits, such as collaboration, risk reduction, efficiency, and scalability.

Collaboration
Architecture diagrams significantly boost collaboration between developers and designers and create a unified view
of system functionality and potential issues. A shared understanding of a system, application, or website has several
benefits. It supports communication during the design process, helps teams develop effective system software
components, and ensures a project meets its goals.

Risk reduction
Architecture diagrams identify potential system development risks, such as incorrect assumptions, faulty logic, or
inadequate testing. By identifying and addressing risks early in the software development lifecycle, development
teams can make changes earlier and reduce the risk that significant issues appear later.

Read about the software development lifecycle »

Efficiency
Architecture diagrams provide a clear view of system components and structure. So, stakeholders can identify
problems accurately and resolve them quickly. Diagrams also make it easier to maintain and scale systems, so
ongoing changes are more efficient.

Scalability
Architecture diagrams allow stakeholders to identify efficient ways to scale a system. For example, a diagram may
show if a system's architecture is centralized or distributed. Since distributed components scale more efficiently,
monolithic components can be updated or replaced in time. Similarly, graphical representations provide insight into
how data is stored and moved. Stakeholders can identify potential bottlenecks and ways to avoid them.

What software architecture patterns can you represent with

architecture diagramming?
Software architecture patterns are design principles and best practices used to develop software systems. They
provide a framework to structure the software and address specific challenges in complex software architectures.

Here are some of the most commonly used software architecture patterns.

Client-server architecture
Client-server architecture is a distributed application structure that separates tasks and workloads between servers
and clients. Servers provide the resource or service, and clients request it.

The client and server are separate programs that communicate over a network. A web browser and web server are
an example of client-server architecture. It’s a commonly used architecture in distributed computing.

Read about distributed computing »

Service-oriented architecture
Service-oriented architecture allow for interaction between distributed application components through services.
Services are abstract, loosely coupled, and language-independent. Applications access them through interfaces.
Developers can reuse existing services rather than having to rebuild from scratch. Service-oriented architecture is
widely used in distributed systems, as services can be deployed across multiple servers.

Read about service-oriented architecture »

Microservices architecture
Service-oriented architecture has evolved further, so developers use microservices architecture to build, deploy, and
manage individual services. Applications are split into independently deployable services that communicate through
APIs.

Smaller, independent services make it simpler for developers to develop, test, and deploy applications and deliver
improved fault tolerances and rapid scaling. An example of a microservices architecture is a web application
consisting of several independent services, each responsible for specific tasks.

Read about microservices »

Read about APIs »

Read about web applications »

Cloud-centered architecture
Cloud-centered architecture is used to design and build applications for cloud environments. Cloud-centered
architecture is built and delivered with cloud-specific technologies such as containers, microservices, DevOps, and
serverless computing. It prioritizes automated deployment and management so that applications can be scaled up
and down as needed.

Read about containerization »

Read about DevOps »

Read about serverless architectures »

Event-driven architecture
Event-driven architecture is software architecture based on the production, detection, and consumption of events.
User interactions, background tasks, and other sources trigger events that further trigger other functionality. The
event-driven architecture allows applications to be more responsive to changes in a software system and its
environment.

Layered architecture
Layered architecture is a software architecture pattern that separates applications into logic-based layers. This type
of architecture is designed to simplify complex applications and systems, as you can split tasks between layers.
 Layers are organized from top to bottom:

 A presentation layer (for example, a UI) is at the top

 A business layer is in the middle
 A data layer is at the bottom

Layers can also be structured hierarchically, which aids maintenance and scalability.

What types of information are included in an architecture diagram?

Here are some common types of information found in an architecture diagram:

 Squares and circles represent components such as databases, networks, applications, and services
 Lines and arrows show the connections and interactions between the system's components
 Labels provide additional information about the components and connections

Additionally, the diagram may also use icons or symbols to visually represent the different components. A small
legend at the bottom, similar to the legend on a map, explains icon usage. The way in which the components and
connections are arranged is called a layout.

Read about databases »

Read about computer networking »

What are the types of architectural diagrams?

Several types of architectural diagrams visually represent various systems and software architectures. Here are
some of the most common architecture diagram examples.

Software architecture diagram

Software architecture diagrams visually represent software components, relationships, and system interactions.
They document, analyze, and communicate software design and are used to make decisions on implementation.
These diagrams range from straightforward, high-level diagrams to detailed depictions of software component
interactions.

System architecture diagram

System architecture diagrams provide a visual illustration of a system's various components and show how they
communicate and interact with each other. These diagrams document a system's structure and architecture. This
allows for a clear understanding of how the system works and how it can be improved.

Application architecture diagram

Application architecture diagrams illustrate application structure. They include components and how they interact
with each other as well as the data flow between them. Application architecture diagrams provide a complete view of
an application and are used to inform the application's design, implementation, and maintenance.

Integration architecture diagram

Integration architecture diagrams visually represent components, data, and technology involved in integration
solutions. They show the relationships between different components, systems, and services and are used to help
design, develop, and manage complex integration solutions. These diagrams are used to document and explain
existing systems as well as plan and develop new integration solutions.
Deployment architecture diagram
Deployment architecture diagrams visually represent relationships between different application components and
their deployment environments. Deployment architecture diagrams show the layout of an application and its
components—including, for example, servers, storage, and networks. They’re used to plan capacity, scalability, and
fault tolerance.

DevOps architecture diagram

DevOps architecture diagrams visualize the components of a DevOps system and how they interact. They
commonly include components such as development environments, continuous integration and continuous delivery
pipelines, infrastructure as code, and cloud services. The diagrams illustrate the components' interactions and
places in the wider DevOps environment.

Read about infrastructure as a service »

Website architecture diagram

Website architecture diagrams visually represent website structures. The diagrams visually map the relationships
and interactions between website components, such as webpages, databases, and content management systems.
Web designers with access to website architecture diagrams can identify potential problem areas and develop
effective strategies to improve the website's performance.

UML Component Diagram

A component diagram is used to break down a large object-oriented system into the smaller
components, so as to make them more manageable. It models the physical view of a system such as
executables, files, libraries, etc. that resides within the node.

It visualizes the relationships as well as the organization between the components present in the
system. It helps in forming an executable system. A component is a single unit of the system, which is
replaceable and executable. The implementation details of a component are hidden, and it
necessitates an interface to execute a function. It is like a black box whose behavior is explained by
the provided and required interfaces.

Notation of a Component Diagram

a) A component
b) A node

Purpose of a Component Diagram

The main purpose of the component diagram are enlisted below:

1. It envisions each component of a system.

2. It constructs the executable by incorporating forward and reverse engineering.
3. It depicts the relationships and organization of components.

Why use Component Diagram?

Following are some reasons for the requirement of the component diagram:

1. It portrays the components of a system at the runtime.

2. It is helpful in testing a system.
3. It envisions the links between several connections.

When to use a Component Diagram?

. Following are some reasons, which tells when to use component diagram:

1. To divide a single system into multiple components according to the functionality.

2. To represent the component organization of the system.

How to Draw a Component Diagram?

Following are some artifacts that are needed to be identified before drawing a component diagram:

1. What files are used inside the system?

2. What is the application of relevant libraries and artifacts?
3. What is the relationship between the artifacts?
Following are some points that are needed to be kept in mind after the artifacts are identified:

1. Using a meaningful name to ascertain the component for which the diagram is about to be
drawn.
2. Before producing the required tools, a mental layout is to be made.
3. To clarify the important points, notes can be incorporated.

Example of a Component Diagram

A component diagram for an online shopping system is given below:

Where to use Component Diagrams?

The component diagram can be used for the followings:

1. To model the components of the system.

2. To model the schemas of a database.
3. To model the applications of an application.
4. To model the system's source code.
Agile Model
The meaning of Agile is swift or versatile."Agile process model" refers to a software development
approach based on iterative development. Agile methods break tasks into smaller iterations, or parts
do not directly involve long term planning. The project scope and requirements are laid down at the
beginning of the development process. Plans regarding the number of iterations, the duration and
the scope of each iteration are clearly defined in advance.

Each iteration is considered as a short time "frame" in the Agile process model, which typically lasts
from one to four weeks. The division of the entire project into smaller parts helps to minimize the
project risk and to reduce the overall project delivery time requirements. Each iteration involves a
team working through a full software development life cycle including planning, requirements
analysis, design, coding, and testing before a working product is demonstrated to the client.

Phases of Agile Model:

Following are the phases in the Agile model are as follows:

1. Requirements gathering
2. Design the requirements
3. Construction/ iteration
4. Testing/ Quality assurance
 5. Deployment
6. Feedback

1. Requirements gathering: In this phase, you must define the requirements. You should explain
business opportunities and plan the time and effort needed to build the project. Based on this
information, you can evaluate technical and economic feasibility.

2. Design the requirements: When you have identified the project, work with stakeholders to define
requirements. You can use the user flow diagram or the high-level UML diagram to show the work of
new features and show how it will apply to your existing system.

3. Construction/ iteration: When the team defines the requirements, the work begins. Designers and
developers start working on their project, which aims to deploy a working product. The product will
undergo various stages of improvement, so it includes simple, minimal functionality.

4. Testing: In this phase, the Quality Assurance team examines the product's performance and looks
for the bug.

5. Deployment: In this phase, the team issues a product for the user's work environment.

6. Feedback: After releasing the product, the last step is feedback. In this, the team receives feedback
about the product and works through the feedback.

Agile Testing Methods:

o Scrum
o Crystal
o Dynamic Software Development Method(DSDM)
o Feature Driven Development(FDD)
o Lean Software Development
o eXtreme Programming(XP)

Scrum
SCRUM is an agile development process focused primarily on ways to manage tasks in team-based
development conditions.

There are three roles in it, and their responsibilities are:

o Scrum Master: The scrum can set up the master team, arrange the meeting and remove obstacles for
the process
 o Product owner: The product owner makes the product backlog, prioritizes the delay and is responsible
for the distribution of functionality on each repetition.
o Scrum Team: The team manages its work and organizes the work to complete the sprint or cycle.

eXtreme Programming(XP)
This type of methodology is used when customers are constantly changing demands or requirements,
or when they are not sure about the system's performance.

Crystal:
There are three concepts of this method-

1. Chartering: Multi activities are involved in this phase such as making a development team, performing
feasibility analysis, developing plans, etc.
2. Cyclic delivery: under this, two more cycles consist, these are:
A. Team updates the release plan.
B. Integrated product delivers to the users.
3. Wrap up: According to the user environment, this phase performs deployment, post-deployment.

Dynamic Software Development Method(DSDM):

DSDM is a rapid application development strategy for software development and gives an agile
project distribution structure. The essential features of DSDM are that users must be actively
connected, and teams have been given the right to make decisions. The techniques used in DSDM
are:

1. Time Boxing
2. MoSCoW Rules
3. Prototyping

The DSDM project contains seven stages:

1. Pre-project
2. Feasibility Study
3. Business Study
4. Functional Model Iteration
5. Design and build Iteration
6. Implementation
7. Post-project
Feature Driven Development(FDD):
This method focuses on "Designing and Building" features. In contrast to other smart methods, FDD
describes the small steps of the work that should be obtained separately per function.

Lean Software Development:

Lean software development methodology follows the principle "just in time production." The lean
method indicates the increasing speed of software development and reducing costs. Lean
development can be summarized in seven phases.

1. Eliminating Waste
2. Amplifying learning
3. Defer commitment (deciding as late as possible)
4. Early delivery
5. Empowering the team
6. Building Integrity
7. Optimize the whole

When to use the Agile Model?

o When frequent changes are required.
o When a highly qualified and experienced team is available.
o When a customer is ready to have a meeting with a software team all the time.
o When project size is small.

Advantage(Pros) of Agile Method:

1. Frequent Delivery
2. Face-to-Face Communication with clients.
3. Efficient design and fulfils the business requirement.
4. Anytime changes are acceptable.
5. It reduces total development time.

Disadvantages(Cons) of Agile Model:

1. Due to the shortage of formal documents, it creates confusion and crucial decisions taken throughout
various phases can be misinterpreted at any time by different team members.
 2. Due to the lack of proper documentation, once the project completes and the developers allotted to
another project, maintenance of the finished project can become a difficulty

OCL, known as object constraint language, is a declarative languageTells us what needs to be done, focusing on
outcomes rather than step-by-step instructions. that enhances UML by defining rules and expressions to describe
software system behaviors and properties precisely. It is often used to specify all types of constraints, including
invariants, pre-conditions, and post conditions that must hold true in various stages of software development.

Why do we use OCL?

We use OCL for the following purposes:

 It allows us to precisely define our software system's requirements, constraints, and behaviors.
 It helps in the formal verification and validation of our software applications.
 It removes unambiguity in our requirements by clarifying and simplifying complex constraints and properties.
 It contributes to improved software quality by enforcing accurate and consistent behaviors.

Constraints in OCL
A constraint is a rule or limitation that defines a specific condition that must be met by our software system. We can
describe three types of constraints using OCL:

1. Invariants
2. Pre-conditions
3. Post conditions

Let's discuss how can we represent each of these in OCL.

1. Invariant

An invariant is a constraint that is supposed to be proven true before and after the execution of an operation. To
represent invariants in OCL language, we write:

context <ClassName>
inv <InvariantName>: <expression>

Invariant representation in OCL

 context: The keyword used to specify the context within which a constraint defined.
 <ClassName>: The name of the class to which the constraint applies.
 inv: The keyword that represents the invariant.
 <InvariantName> (optional): The name of the invariant.
 <expression>: The invariant we want to impose on the class.
2. Pre-condition

A pre-condition is a constraint that is supposed to be proven true before an operation. To represent pre-conditions
in OCL language, we write:

context <ClassName>:: <OperationName>

pre <ConditionName>: <expression>
Pre-condition representation in OCL

 context: The keyword used to specify the context within which a constraint is defined.
 <ClassName>: The name of the class to which the constraint applies.
 <OperationName>: The name of the operation (along with its parameters) which we want to ensure
meets the pre-condition.
 pre: The keyword that represents the pre-condition.
 <ConditionName> (optional): The name of the pre-condition.
 <expression>: The pre-condition we want to impose on the class.
3. Post condition

A post condition is a constraint that is supposed to be proven true after an operation. To represent post conditions
in OCL language, we write:

context <ClassName>:: <OperationName>

post <ConditionName>: <expression>

Post condition representation in OCL

 context: The keyword used to specify the context within which a constraint is defined.
 <ClassName>: The name of the class to which the constraint applies.
 <OperationName>: The name of the operation (along with its parameters) which we want to ensure
meets the post condition.
 post: The keyword that represents the post condition.
 <ConditionName> (optional): The name of the post condition.
 <expression>: The post condition we want to impose on the class.
Example

Let's discuss an example to understand constraint representation in OCL. Suppose we have a UML diagram with
two classes: Employee and Company.

UMl diagram of Employee and Company class

 If we have an invariant that each Employee working in the Company should have an age greater than 22,
we represent this in OCL as:
context Employee
inv: self.name > 22

Example of invariant constraint

Here, we are referring to the attribute name of the Employee's class, so we write the Employee class as context.
The keyword self is optional and refers to attributes within the context class.

Note: We cannot write the constraint for attribute or function of classes other than the context class defined.
 If we have a pre-condition that the increment parameter of the increaseSalary function should be
greater than 0 before the execution of the function, we represent this in OCL as:
context Employee::increaseSalary(increment: Real)
pre: increment > 0

Example of pre-condition constraint

 If we have a post condition that after executing the increaseSalary function, the salary attribute of the
employee should be greater than his previous salary, we represent this in OCL as:
context Employee::increaseSalary(increment: Real)
post: self.salary > self.salary@pre

Example of post condition constraint

Limitations of OCL
Let's discuss limitations of using OCL language.

 Learning OCL syntax can be challenging if we are unfamiliar with formal languages.
 Despite its formal nature, OCL expressions can sometimes still be ambiguous or open to interpretation.
 Integrating OCL with existing software development processes and tools can sometimes require workflow
adjustments.
 OCL uses textual notation, which might not be as expressive as graphical notations for certain constraints.
 Maintaining and updating OCL constraints alongside code changes can become challenging as software
evolves.

Conclusion
OCL serves as a powerful tool in software engineering, removing ambiguity in requirements and making them more
precise. While improving software quality, its formal nature can be challenging for our understanding. Nevertheless,
OCL contributes to building reliable and well-defined software systems.

Coding Standards and Guidelines

Purpose of Having Coding Standards:
 A coding standard gives a uniform appearance to the codes written by different
engineers.
 It improves readability, and maintainability of the code and it reduces complexity also.
 It helps in code reuse and helps to detect error easily.
 It promotes sound programming practices and increases efficiency of the programmers.
Some of the coding standards are given below:
1. Limited use of globals: These rules tell about which types of data that can be declared
global and the data that can’t be.

2. Standard headers for different modules: For better understanding and maintenance of
the code, the header of different modules should follow some standard format and
information. The header format must contain below things that is being used in various
companies:
 Name of the module
 Date of module creation
 Author of the module
  Modification history
 Synopsis of the module about what the module does
 Different functions supported in the module along with their input output parameters
 Global variables accessed or modified by the module

3. Naming conventions for local variables, global variables, constants and

functions: Some of the naming conventions are given below:
 Meaningful and understandable variables name helps anyone to understand the
reason of using it.
 Local variables should be named using camel case lettering starting with small letter
(e.g. localData) whereas Global variables names should start with a capital letter
(e.g. GlobalData). Constant names should be formed using capital letters only
(e.g. CONSDATA).
 It is better to avoid the use of digits in variable names.
 The names of the function should be written in camel case starting with small letters.
 The name of the function must describe the reason of using the function clearly and
briefly.

4. Indentation: Proper indentation is very important to increase the readability of the code.
For making the code readable, programmers should use White spaces properly. Some of
the spacing conventions are given below:
 There must be a space after giving a comma between two function arguments.
 Each nested block should be properly indented and spaced.
 Proper Indentation should be there at the beginning and at the end of each block in
the program.
 All braces should start from a new line and the code following the end of braces also
start from a new line.

5. Error return values and exception handling conventions: All functions that
encountering an error condition should either return a 0 or 1 for simplifying the
debugging. On the other hand, Coding guidelines give some general suggestions
regarding the coding style that to be followed for the betterment of understandability and
readability of the code. Some of the coding guidelines are given below :

6. Avoid using a coding style that is too difficult to understand: Code should be easily
understandable. The complex code makes maintenance and debugging difficult and
expensive.

7. Avoid using an identifier for multiple purposes: Each variable should be given a
descriptive and meaningful name indicating the reason behind using it. This is not
possible if an identifier is used for multiple purposes and thus it can lead to confusion to
the reader. Moreover, it leads to more difficulty during future enhancements.
8. Code should be well documented: The code should be properly commented for
understanding easily. Comments regarding the statements increase the understandability
of the code.

9. Length of functions should not be very large: Lengthy functions are very difficult to
understand. That’s why functions should be small enough to carry out small work and
lengthy functions should be broken into small ones for completing small tasks.

10. Try not to use GOTO statement: GOTO statement makes the program unstructured,
thus it reduces the understandability of the program and also debugging becomes
difficult.

Advantages of Coding Guidelines:

 Coding guidelines increase the efficiency of the software and reduces the development
time.
 Coding guidelines help in detecting errors in the early phases, so it helps to reduce the
extra cost incurred by the software project.
 If coding guidelines are maintained properly, then the software code increases readability
and understandability thus it reduces the complexity of the code.
 It reduces the hidden cost for developing the software.

7 types of software bugs and errors

Common types of software bugs and errors
1. Functional errors
2. Syntax errors
3. Logic errors
4. Calculation errors
5. Unit-level bugs
6. System-level integration bugs
7. Out of bounds bugs

Coming up with a brilliant software solution takes lots of testing and tweaking. Throughout this
process, you’re bound to come across error messages and other development roadblocks. When
you know the different types of software bugs you’re likely to encounter, you’ll also know the
best approaches to fixing them.
Keep reading to learn about common bugs you may have to deal with in the software
development process.

Pro Tip
Track and process software bugs online with Jotform’s free Issue Tracker Template.

1. Functional errors
This is a broad type of error that happens whenever software doesn’t behave as intended. For
example, if the end user clicks the “Save” button, but their entered data isn’t saved, this is a
functional error. After some investigation, a software tester may identify a more specifi c culprit
behind the error and reclassify it as a different type of bug.

2. Syntax errors
A syntax error occurs in the source code of a program and prevents the program from being
properly compiled. This type of error is very common and typically occurs when there are one or
more missing or incorrect characters in the code. For example, a single missing bracket could
cause a syntax error.

Compiling programs typically indicate where a syntax error has occurred so the programmer can
fix it.

3. Logic errors
A logic error represents a mistake in the software flow and causes the software to behave
incorrectly. This type of error can cause the program to produce an incorrect output, or even
hang or crash. Unlike syntax errors, logic errors will not prevent a program from compiling.

A common logic error is the infinite loop. Due to poorly written code, the program repeats a
sequence endlessly until it crashes or halts due to external intervention, such as the user closing a
browser window or turning the power off.

4. Calculation errors
Anytime software returns an incorrect value — whether it’s one the end user sees or one that’s
passed to another program — that’s a calculation error. This could happen for several reasons:

 The software is using the wrong algorithm to calculate the value.

 The calculation has a data type mismatch.
 The developers have coded the calculation or value hand-off to another program
incorrectly.
While such an error can be costly in certain contexts — like in banking, where an incorrect
calculation can result in the loss of money — hunting down the calculation error is typically just
a matter of math.

5. Unit-level bugs
David LaVine, founder of RocLogic Marketing and a former engineer, says unit-level software
bugs are the most common. They’re also typically the easiest to fix.

After your software is initially coded, you need to see how it works through unit testing —
taking a small, logical section of code and verifying that it performs as designed. This is where
various forms of state machine bugs, calculation errors, and basic logic bugs are often
uncovered.

“The bugs are relatively easy to isolate when you’re dealing with a small amount of code that’s
within your control,” LaVine says. “They’re also relatively easy to replicate because there aren’t
a lot of complex, asynchronous interactions taking place yet.”

6. System-level integration bugs

This type of bug occurs when two or more pieces of software from separate subsystems interact
erroneously. Often the two sets of code are written by different developers. LaVine explains that
even when there’s a solid set of requirements for developers to follow, there’s usually some level
of interpretation required or details that get overlooked, causing the interaction between two
pieces of software to fail.

“System-level integration bugs are harder to fix because you’re dealing with more than one piece
of software, so the complexity increases while overall visibility decreases,” LaVine says. “This
class of bug is often caused by things like byte-swapping, message parsing, or memory overflow
issues.”

7. Out of bounds bugs

LaVine notes that these types of software bugs show up when the end user interacts with the
software in ways that weren’t expected. This often occurs when the user sets a parameter outside
the limits of intended use, such as entering a significantly larger or smaller number than coded
for or inputting an unexpected data type, like text where a number should be.

The Importance Of Code Reusability

In Software Development
By Sakshi Pandey, Community Contributor - October 3, 2022
 Code reusability is the capacity to repurpose pre-existing code when developing new software
applications. Ideally, code reuse should be easy to implement, and any stable, functional code could
freely be reused when building a new software application. Unfortunately, this is not the case; It’s very
important to ensure that the code being reused is appropriate and a good fit for the software
application.
Pre-existing code can be recycled to perform the same function or repurposed to perform a similar
but slightly different function. Code reusability increases productivity reduces costs, and improves
overall quality. Reusability in software development is a highly popular and productive practice.
Features that Code with a Potential for Reuse should have:

 Versatility which allows for the code to be easily adapted for another application.
 Compatibility with different hardware.
 It should be free of any bugs or defects that may affect the security or dependability of the other application.
Table of Contents

 Types of Code Reuse

 Advantages of Code Reuse
 Challenges with Code-Reusability
 Code Reuse in Microservices Architecture
 Checklist to Ensure the Quality of Reusable Code

Types of Code Reuse

Code Reuse can be planned. Development teams can write software components with the vision to
reuse them in the future, or, on some occasions, developers may realize that they have code from
previous projects that can be reused by sheer coincidence.
There are two major types of code reuse:

1. Internal reuse – This is when code written internally by a developer team or business is reused for
other projects.
2. External reuse – This is when some third-party tool or code is licensed and employed in a project. This
can be tricky since costs will be involved, and time will be required to learn and implement the tool.
Additionally, it creates a dependency upon an external tool which may lead to issues further down the line.

Advantages of Code Reuse

 Saves Time: Code Reuse improves productivity and eliminates the need for rewriting pieces of code that are
already perfectly functional and available to use. This also helps developers to focus their attention on writing
original code to create new features which add value and improve the caliber of the software product.
 Businesses are often on a tight schedule that requires them to churn out applications at a fast pace in order to
get an edge on their competitors; code for similar features can often be used across several projects to
expedite their delivery.

 Lower Cost: Saving on time also allows the business to save on costs. Additionally, by utilizing pre-existing
code, organizations can reduce expenses associated with app development, avoiding the need to hire more
people and obtain additional resources.

 Reduced Development Risks: Often, the code being reused is tried and tested. Since it’s already been to
battle and survived, it’s safe to say that the code will be highly reliable and free from defects. This guarantees a
good user experience since the code is likely to run smoothly and be perfectly functional.
 Prevents Code Bloat: Bloated code is considered to be needlessly long, slow, and resource-intensive. To
prevent the formation of undesired functionality or code bloat, it is crucial to reuse efficient and simple code, if it
is available, across applications.
Also Read: How to Accelerate Product Release Velocity

Challenges with Code-Reusability

1. Communication: As the scale of the project increases, it becomes increasingly difficult to
communicate effectively with all the developers involved and implement code reuse. Properly communicating
the specifics and conditions for code reuse becomes confusing, and it becomes harder to brainstorm with the
entire team to find areas of the project where code can be reused.
2. Office Politics: Conflict is inevitable amongst teams, and with larger organizations, this can be a
hindrance to the organization as a whole. Certain teams may be dissatisfied with having parts of their code
reused by other teams that they are in conflict or competition with.
3. 3. Administration: Maintaining and using libraries of reusable code takes a lot of time and effort, it can
truly be a challenge. Especially with large businesses which have a surfeit of projects, it can become very
demanding to efficiently maintain a library of potentially reusable code, identify areas of a project where code
can be reused, and carry out code reuse.

Code Reuse in Microservices Architecture

Microservice architecture is used by several organizations today and serves as a good practical
example of how code reuse can be implemented in real software development projects.
Small independent services or components, created by various small autonomous teams, make up a
microservices architecture. Each service is independent of the other, and to operate as software,
these services communicate via a simple, lightweight API.
This type of design enables companies to produce software more quickly. The autonomous teams
are given more latitude in how they update and release code or respond to an application
requirement. Additionally, teams can be more creative since they need to focus on only one
independent service, and their communication requirements are minimized.
This disconnect between the teams may also be harmful. The developers can write code once and
utilize it multiple times at different locations in the application, thanks to the code reuse in a
microservices architecture. Due to the large range of functionalities a piece of code can assist with, it
is possible to reuse it several times within a microservice. However, code reuse between distinct
microservices presents greater difficulties.
The purpose of a microservice architecture is to reduce any potential dependencies; by reusing code
between autonomous teams, there is a high probability that dependencies will arise.
The best method to implement code reuse in a microservice architecture is to create a microservice
for the code that teams want to reuse. This microservice can be used to work with other separate
microservices by the autonomous teams through APIs. This method ensures that the microservice
architecture is uncompromised and there aren’t any dependencies between services.

Checklist to Ensure the Quality of Reusable

Code
Before reusing any code it is vital to ensure that the quality of the code is up to par. There are four
major items that need to be evaluated to determine whether the code quality is sufficient for code
reuse.

1. Security: It’s important to ensure no internal vulnerabilities exist in the code prior to reuse. It’s generally
safer to reuse internal code in comparison to code from third-party sources.
2. Reliability: Code must be trustworthy in order to be reused. By ensuring availability, fault tolerance,
and recoverability, you can guarantee trustworthy and reliable code.
3. Performance Efficiency: Code reusability is only useful if the code being implemented is efficient.
4. Maintainability: It’s important to ensure that the code being reused is fault-tolerant and easily
maintainable.
Code reuse can greatly optimize the development process of applications and increase productivity in
software development teams. It can help save on costs, and time, reduce development risks, and
prevent code bloat.
Several challenges, such as communication or administrative issues, as well as office politics, can
also hinder the potential of code reuse. However, under the right circumstances, code reuse is well
worth implementing.