What does the term hard coding refer to?
|
Show
What does Hardcoding mean?Hard code explained, and why it is so bad?We want to understand why developers call hardcoding a "bad" solution  Background to the term hardcoded or hardcodingSimply put, hardcoding is the process of entering values that are normally entered directly into the codebase by a user. Think of a calculator - it works with arbitrary inputs and can produce arbitrary outputs. Now think of the first use case of a calculator where the goal was not for someone to be able to perform countless operations, but to solve a specific problem, say 23 times 4. If we wanted to solve this problem just for this specific situation, we would simply input the value of 23 times 4, or better yet, the answer itself. Clever programmers have quickly realized that as projects grow, they can reuse the same logics and functions - something that takes an input and provides a specific output based on a specific logic, formula or operation. Unfortunately, that doesn't work if they hard-code their values in there. What is abstraction in coding?One of the basic principles of programming languages like Java is abstraction. The idea that you can create functions that others can use without having to worry about how your function works. They know that given a certain input, they will always get the output they want. Think of the addition operation, that is, adding one number together with another, the result is known and the output is clearly defined. This way you can make sure that your function works with different inputs and always gives the same output with the same input. How does this help us understand hardcoding? With hardcoding, the user is no longer asked for the input (or by some other method), but the input is provided directly in the code base. This sounds like it reduces code complexity and seems pretty trivial, doesn't it? Read more. Is it harmful - a victimless crime?Now, even though hardcoding can simplify the process because you save steps in querying and receiving data, it may not allow the functions, and therefore your application, to reach their full potential. Don't get me wrong, there will be cases where this might make sense, but in general you sacrifice the scalability of the Application in terms of maintenance and updatability. Every time you need to change the application, you have to redeploy the code - not too difficult if you're running a website that is only visited by 1000 people during the day. But imagine a mobile application which is used around the clock and requires users to download the latest version for it to work. If you are a Developer decide to make changes, you need to remember all the places where you hard-coded values. This is one of the main reasons why many developers consider this sloppy. The point is that an elegant solution solves not just one problem, but all kinds of problems in that category and can be reused by the entire community. Exceptions are the rule when hardcoding!As always, there will be situations where it makes sense to code values directly into the codebase. One of the best examples are MVPs or dummy projects, where simplicity and speed are the goal. This way you can't waste too much time on code quality - because the goal is not to reduce code, but really to test the market for the viability of a new product. In this case, it should be fast and cheap, because viability is key. The MVP is usually not suitable for large scale development or requires a lot of work anyway. Conclusion on hard coding/ hard codingWhether hardcoding is a bad practice depends on your use case, but in most cases it's something you don't want to see in complex projects and as little as possible in the early stages of your project. If you want to know more about Software development and technology or their Costs and want to start your own project, contact us and we will be happy to help you. Do you need support with the development of an app or a webshop?What does the term hard coding mean?In computer programming or text markup, to hardcode (less frequently, hard code ) is to use an explicit rather than a symbolic name for something that is likely to change at a later time. Such coding is sometimes known as hardcode (noun) and it is more difficult to change if it later becomes necessary.
What is hard coding in medical coding?Hard coding is when codes are assigned by the CDM without human intervention, whereas soft coding is when codes are manually assigned by a coding specialist.
What does hardcoded mean in Python?A hardcode is a part of a computer program which cannot be altered in any way except by changing the source code of the program itself.
What is hard coding in Java with example?"Hard Coding" means something that you want to embed with your program or any project that cannot be changed directly. For example, if you are using a database server, then you must hardcode the credentials to connect your database with your project and that cannot be changed by the user.
|
