Hi, this is really more of a general programming question than a Python
question, though perhaps there is a Python-relevant set of terms/answers to
it... I'm trying to refactor some code to be more structurally "proper", more
easily maintained, etc. Doing some "thinking out loud", and I have two
questions:
Q1) Generally, what is the best structure for when there are a number of
steps/actions that need to be taken? Q2) Is there a term/some jargon in
programming that refers to the difference between examples 1-3 below?
Examples: Let's say I have some wish to perform four related sequential
actions--steps, let's call them--in some part of the program. In terms of
grouping those actions, there are 3 ways I can think to do this (pseudocode):
1. Do the steps all in one function:
def Function(self):
do step1 action
do step2 action
do step3 action
do step4 action
2. Have each step be a function, and have each function call the next function
in the chain:
def StepOne(self):
do step1 action
self.StepTwo()
def StepTwo(self):
do step2 action
self.StepThree()
3. Make each step a function, but call all of them in order in one master
function:
def MasterFunction(self):
self.StepOne()
self.StepTwo()
self.StepThree()
self.StepFour()
(elsewhere these functions are defined)
etc...
It seems to me that example 3 is the most sensible. 1 is bad because the steps
should be functions, because then they can be easily reused, seen from an IDE
explorer, etc. (I guess if they are really minor things it isn't necessary). 2
is terrible because it introduces far too much dependence and might be hard to
maintain. It is also possible to sort of mix aspects of all of these...that
also seems jumbled.
Maybe there are other and better ways to think about organizing a sequence of
steps, and if so I'd love to hear them. I'd also like to know what I might
look up to read up on managing this kind of thing.
Thanks,
Che
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