10
MODULES
Ideally, a program has a clear, straightforward structure. The way it works is easy to explain, and each part plays a well-defined role.
In practice, programs grow organically. Pieces of functionality are added as the programmer identifies new needs. Keeping such a program well structured requires constant attention and work. This is work that will pay off only in the future, the next time someone works on the program, so it’s tempting to neglect it and allow the various parts of the program to become deeply entangled.
This causes two practical issues. First, understanding an entangled system is hard. If everything can touch everything else, it is difficult to look at any given piece in isolation. You are forced to build up a holistic ...
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