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Design Patterns: Prototype

In software development, there are scenarios where creating multiple objects with similar attributes and configurations is necessary. Instead of constructing each object from scratch, a more efficient approach is to duplicate an existing instance. This is precisely what the Prototype Design Pattern facilitates. What is the Prototype Pattern? The Prototype pattern is a creational design pattern that focuses on cloning objects. Rather than instantiating new objects directly, this pattern allows for the creation of copies of existing instances. This can be particularly beneficial when object creation is expensive or complex. Benefits of Using the Prototype Pattern Improved Performance – If object creation involves expensive operations such as database queries or intensive computations, cloning can optimize performance. Simplified Object Initialization – When an object requires extensive setup, cloning eliminates redundant initialization steps. Dynamic Object Modifications – Prototypes...
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Code Review Best Practices

Code reviews are a crucial part of writing great software. They help maintain code quality, catch bugs early, and improve collaboration. But if done poorly, they can be frustrating, time-consuming, and even demotivating. So, how do you make your code reviews effective and useful? What to Do? 1. Prioritize Code Quality and Maintainability Make sure the code follows best practices and style guidelines. Check for ways to improve performance and efficiency. Ensure the code is easy to read and well-structured. 2. Give Constructive, Respectful Feedback Focus on helping, not just pointing out mistakes. Offer suggestions rather than just criticism. Highlight things that were done well, not just areas that need improvement. 3. Ensure the Code is Properly Tested Look for unit tests and integration tests where needed. Check for edge cases and possible failure points. Make sure tests actually pass before approving the PR. 4. Look Out for Security and Performance Issues Watch for common security ri...

TDD and Mocking

In the  last post  we have discussed core principles of unit testing and TDD. In this post, we’ll walk through a simple example of how to use Moq  as mocking framework and Dependency Injection with NUnit in the context of Test-Driven Development (TDD) in C#. This combination allows for clean, maintainable tests by mocking dependencies and focusing on the behavior of the system under test. Imagine we have an application where we process payments through a PaymentService . This service depends on an external IPaymentGateway interface to make the actual payment.  Let’s break this down step by step. Step 1: Write the Test First (Before Code) We want to test the PaymentService , which depends on the IPaymentGateway . Our first test will focus on making sure the PaymentService behaves correctly when making a valid payment. Here's the test code: using Moq; using NUnit.Framework; [TestFixture] public class PaymentServiceTests { private Mock<IPaymentGateway>...

Unit Testing and Test-Driven Development (TDD) in C#

Writing code without unit tests can be risky—you might not realize issues until it’s too late. Unit testing helps make sure your code actually does what it's supposed to. In this post, we’ll break down unit testing in C# using NUnit and explore how Test-Driven Development (TDD) can make your life easier. What’s Unit Testing Anyway? Unit testing is all about testing small, isolated chunks of your code to make sure they work correctly. Instead of waiting until the whole application is built and then scrambling to fix bugs, unit tests let you catch issues early. In C#, we typically use frameworks like NUnit , xUnit , or MSTest to write and run these tests. Why Should You Care About Unit Testing? Find Bugs Early: Fixing issues sooner rather than later saves time (and headaches). Make Your Code More Maintainable: Well-tested code is easier to update and improve. Write Better Code: Writing testable code forces you to structure it well. Acts as Documentation: Your tests describe what...

How To Pay Programmers Less

Before we kick off, just a quick mention that the intention of this post is pure fun, so please don't take it too seriously! :) ....  Hiring and retaining top programming talent is expensive, but reducing costs doesn’t have to mean cutting corners. Instead of simply lowering salaries, businesses can use smart (and slightly sneaky) strategies to optimize their workforce, keep developers motivated, and ensure productivity remains high while keeping costs manageable. Create a Family Like Environment Because nothing says "family" like a workplace where you're expected to answer emails at midnight! But seriously, a strong company culture can make employees feel valued and connected, reducing turnover and salary demands. Foster a workplace that emphasizes: Open communication : Encourage feedback and transparency to build trust. Just be sure to ignore any feedback that involves "higher salaries." Team bonding activities : Regular pizza parties, yearly company event...

Design Patterns: Decorator

The Decorator Pattern is a structural design pattern that allows behavior to be dynamically added to individual objects, without modifying their code. It is often used to extend the functionalities of classes in a flexible and reusable way. When To Use It? You Need to Add Behavior Dynamically at Runtime.  Example: A coffee shop app where users can customize their drinks with add-ons like Milk, Sugar, Whipped Cream, etc. You Want to Avoid a Large Inheritance Tree.  If you use inheritance, each combination of behaviors would require a new subclass (e.g., CoffeeWithMilk , CoffeeWithSugar , CoffeeWithMilkAndSugar , etc.). You Want More Flexible and Reusable Code.  Different decorators can be reused independently . Example: A LoggingDecorator , CompressionDecorator , and EncryptionDecorator can be used separately or in different orders. You Follow the Open-Closed Principle.  Instead of modifying an existing class, you can extend behavior using decorators . This mak...

Testable WinForms Applications (MVP pattern)

Today, WinForms apps mainly belong to legacy code because of increasing popularity of WPF. And when one team decides about the development stack for the brand new desktop application, they mainly vote for WPF. On the other hand, there are demands for WinForms applications when it is needed to upgrade existing software which is tightly coupled with WinForms, demands for higher performance, etc. Different Approaches There are many opinions on the subject about testable WinForms apps. Some claim that it's not possible to test WinForms apps because there is a lot of dependency between user events and business logic. Standard Windows Form contains Designer.cs partial class and a partial class which contains event handlers for user actions. So, if we follow this same principle and try to implement app logic in event handlers, we can conclude that it would be very hard to write tests for this kind of application. But, if we look at this problem from some distance, we can conclude that eve...