AntiPattern Name: StandingOnTheShouldersOfMidgets
Type: Design | Organizational
Problem: You're working in an organization that dictates that you reuse code in libraryX to solve the problem you're working on. Looking at this API, you find a jumbled mess of cluttered concepts and weird hacks, or it doesn't do half of what you want it to do.
Context: This pattern can show up not just with code libraries, but also with general architectures and databases. For example, the organization might be using a hand rolled messaging system with various limitations, or a hand rolled database with peculiar semantics, or a complicated/convoluted/contorted project management methodology.
Forces:
- Hubris: The developer/manager/owner of libraryX wants everyone to use it, regardless of how bad it is. They wrote the library, and you better use it!
- Laziness: Its too much work to change libraryX, and besides, everyone who uses it would have to change as well, so just go through the gynmastics and stop complaining!
- Fear: We don't know what could happen if you change libraryX, and we're afraid of what might happen if you do.
Supposed Solution: Go through the code gymnastics to set up arguments to libraryX as it wants them
Resulting Context:
- You end up feeling dirty about the code you wrote to interface with libraryX.
- Seductive forces: Code reuse is a good thing, right? Re-inventing the wheel is a bad thing, yes?
- Why, despite the seductiveness, this is actually a BadThing:
- Your code ends up being difficult to understand and maintain
- Strong coupling between your code and the libraryX code
- Further entrenchment of libraryX as an essential library for everyone to use
- Replacement positive patterns:
- RefactorMercilessly: Refactor out the ugliness from the public API to libraryX
- AdapterPattern: Write an adaptor around the public API to libraryX that hides the ugliness. Possibly introduce this adaptor into the library so other people can easily reuse it.
Design Rationale: Midget libraries can evolve in all sorts of ways.
- The public API was poorly thought out
- When the code started to smell, no refactoring was done
- ...others?
Related AntiPatterns:
BigBallOfMud,
GoldenHammer,
IfItIsWorkingDontChange
Applicable Positive Patterns: AdapterPattern
AntiPatternCategory: DevelopmentAntiPattern, ArchitectureAntiPattern, ManagementAntiPattern
Also Known As:
Examples in the Literature:
Examples in Practice:
--LyleHayhurst
CategoryAntiPattern CategoryArchitectureAntiPattern CategoryManagementAntiPattern
Standing On The Shoulders Of Midgets