Class & API Design

Michael DeHann wrote a blog article relating some of the things he’s learned about good API design. This includes advice such as programming with a view to the outsider, naming classes appropriately, figuring out how to make your code better through experiencing bad code, provide documentation that obviates the need for users to ask you how your code works, avoid redundant code, avoid extraneous conversions where possible, keep logic with the class that owns it, avoid adding complexity to your code through many options, and finally test your code but focus on functional end-to-end tests.

Many of these design tips are not new, but Michael provides a fresh perspective on them that I think is worth reading. Check out his post at:

• http://michaeldehaan.net/2011/04/29/class-api-design/