What is an API?
At some point earlier today, I needed to change an interface of one internal application module to pass in an extra parameter. So I changed the interface, I changed the implementation and I changed all...
View ArticleArchitectural Thoughts: Target your real clients
I have written before about how developers should communicate with end users. I have also talked about the value of software where I hinted that the right persons to ask for your software’s valuation...
View ArticleCode Insights: Unit testing private methods using reflection
Every so often I come across some method in a class that looks like it should be private but is instead declared protected or left with the default package-private access. I have even read some blogs...
View ArticleKeep the code, data and configurations under control
All projects I have worked for kept good track of their code and build files in some version control system. In most cases the database schema, usually in some form of SQL files, was also kept in the...
View ArticleWhat makes an API good?
Last week I wrote some thoughts on the various types of APIs that exist including some not very obvious ones. Today I will try to define the traits of a “good” API, or perhaps what I am looking for...
View ArticleCode Insights: Call static methods through their declaring Class
At some point yesterday I was discussing with a younger developer about why he should pay attention to compiler warnings. The specific discussion was about the warning: The static method foo() from the...
View ArticleHappy New Year!!!
I wish you all a very happy new year! Things have been quite hectic in my working life the past month and this has caused me to stop blogging for a while now. As things return back to normal I will...
View ArticleCode Insights: Java 7 brings switch on Strings, so what?
This holiday season I tried to catch up a bit on my reading on various topics including Java 7. As I generally work on enterprise software I usually do not normally operate on the cutting edge of...
View ArticleSwitching on enums, … or not
Last week I was writing about Java 7 and switching on Strings. A comment by Frisian on that post was the incentive for today’s post. How do we write switch statements based on enum values, what caveats...
View ArticleBook review: The Mythical Man-Month: Essays on Software Engineering,...
Occasionally, us developers, tend to focus on the latest and greatest technology, expanding our technical library with newer titles which, although useful, may soon become obsolete. This review is...
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