Converting your anemic dictionaries is easy
TL;DR: Convert your key/value into full behavioral objects
Problems Addressed
Fail Fast principle violation
Bijection Fault
Hard to find method references
Related Code Smells
Context
You have anemic associative arrays that hold unstructured data and you want to have richer objects with stricter controls (possibly including type checking in static typed languages)
Steps
Find the references to the object or associative array
Reify it
Replace generic calls with setters and getters for every key (You also will be able to debug them better)
Add parameter and return type hinting to interfaces (if your language supports it)
Add stronger assertions on the setters between different keys.
(if you are using TCR, you can do baby refactoring steps)
Sample Code
Before
<?
class AuthenticationHelper extends Singleton {
private $data = [];
function setParameter(string $key, ?$value) {
// no type checking
// value as the name is too generic
// Since SOME parameters might be null
// You cannot check a single parameter for not null
$this->data[$key] = value;
}
function getParameter(string $key) {
// no return type hinting
return $this->data[$key] ?? null;
}
}
// Usages
AuthenticationHelper::getInstance->setParameter('oauth2_token', []);
// type error not caught
AuthenticationHelper::getInstance->setParameter('scopes', null);
// We need to enforce this not to be NULL
AuthenticationHelper::getInstance->setParameter('user', 'Elon');
// This should not mutate
// No validation with business rules
$credential = AuthenticationHelper::getInstance->getParameter('oauth2token');
// Typo not detected
// You can not easily find references to methods setting the oauth2_token
After
<?
class AuthenticationCredentials {
private $user;
private $oauth2_token;
function __construct(User $user) {
$this->validateUser($user);
// Specific validation rules
$this->user = $user;
// Cannot mutate
}
function oauth2_token(string $token): void {
// You can add specific validations
$this->oauth2_token = $token;
}
function oauth2_token(): string {
// Return type hinting
return $this->oauth2_token;
}
}
// Usages
$credentials = new AuthenticationCredentials(new User('Elon'));
// Valid since creation
$credentials->oauth2_token([]);
// type errors are caught
$credentials->oauth2_token(null);
// cannot be null. Fail fast
$credentials->scope();
// Typo detected
Now, you have an anemic data class or DTO. It is time to give it behavior and (possibly) remove some getters and setters.
Type
[X] Semi-Automatic
You can perform this refactor with the aid of an IDE.
Safety
This is not an automatic refactoring but small steps are safe if you have good coverage.
Why is code better?
Your new object fails fast and is more declarative.
You can debug it easily and find the referencing methods.
Limitations
In dynamically typed languages you cannot enforce type or domain restrictions for the values
Tags
- Anemic
Related Refactorings
See also
Credits
Image from MustangJoe en Pixabay
This article is part of the Refactoring Series.
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