The Framework Superclass Anti-Pattern

[Terrence Dorsey]

Michael Feathers[^]:

Unfortunately, this anti-pattern is too common. It doesn't hurt until it hurts and when it does hurt, it hurts a lot. If you are developing frameworks do not provide superclasses that framework users must inherit to use your framework. Inheritance is the one of the tightest forms of coupling you can use in OO.

As a framework designer, you have many other choices: eventing, listeners, and object composition.

[LloydA111]

Terrence Dorsey wrote:

If you are developing frameworks do not provide superclasses that framework users must inherit to use your framework

And they wonder why some people find programming difficult.

=====
\ | /
\|/
|
|-----|
| |
|_ |
_) | /
_) __/_
_) ____
| /|
| / |
| |
|-----|
|

===

[PIEBALDconsult]

Oh, you mean like System.Windows.Forms.Form? Yeah, that's bad. But what's worse is not being able to derive properly due to broken polymorphism. :mad:

[_beauw_]

Better yet, just don't make a framework. If you really want to "help" me write code, give me helpers... not mandates.