Write Great Code, Volume 3

GLOSSARY

A

Accessor function A function whose sole purpose is to provide read or write access to an otherwise private member of some object.

ACM Association for Computing Machinery

Activity diagram A UML flowcharting scheme that graphically indicates the flow of control through some design.

Actor External entity that interacts with or otherwise controls a system.

Aggregation A relationship where one class (the whole class) controls another class (the parts class). The parts class could be stand-alone (used by itself or other classes), but the whole class cannot exist without the parts class.

Alternative flow A condition section in a Flow of Events scenario—typically, where error or exceptional conditions are handled.

Amateur programmer A novice ...