Code bloat

<h2 id="examples">Examples</h2>
<p>The following JavaScript algorithm has a large number of <a href="/facts/Redundant_code/kMb85Pet">redundant</a> variables, unnecessary logic and inefficient string concatenation.
</p>
// Complex 
function TK2getImageHTML(size, zoom, sensor, markers) {
    const strHTMLStart = '<img src="';
    const strHTMLEnd = '" alt="The map"/>';
    var strFinalImage = "";
    var strURL = "http://maps.google.com/maps/api/staticmap?center=";
    var strSize = '&size='+ size;
    var strZoom = '&zoom='+ zoom;
    var strSensor = '&sensor='+ sensor;    
   
    strURL += markers[0].latitude;
    strURL += ",";
    strURL += markers[0].longitude;
    strURL += strSize;
    strURL += strZoom;
    strURL += strSensor;
    
    for (var i = 0; i < markers.length; i++) {
        strURL += markers[i].addMarker();
    }
    
    strFinalImage = strHTMLStart + strURL + strHTMLEnd;
    return strFinalImage;
};

<p>The same logic can be stated more efficiently as follows:
</p>
// Simplified 
const TK2getImageHTML = (size, zoom, sensor, markers) => {
    const [ { latitude, longitude } ] = markers;
    let url = `http://maps.google.com/maps/api/staticmap?center=${ latitude },${ longitude }&size=${ size }&zoom=${ zoom }&sensor=${ sensor }`;

markers.forEach(marker => url += marker.addMarker());

return `<img src="${ url }" alt="The map" />`;
};

<h2 id="code-density-of-different-languages">Code density of different languages</h2>
 
<p>The difference in <a href="/facts/Code_density/8p8vwUeE">code density</a> between various <a href="/facts/Computer_language/n3L56qdP">computer languages</a> is so great that often less <a href="/facts/Memory/zucwQIEX">memory</a> is needed to hold both a program written in a "compact" language (such as a <a href="/facts/Domain-specific_programming_language/n18H1foD">domain-specific programming language</a>, <a href="/facts/Microsoft_P-Code/mYJINXmp">Microsoft P-Code</a>, or <a href="/facts/Threaded_code/RwL3h6DJ">threaded code</a>), plus an <a href="/facts/Interpreter_(computing)/JB85fbyb">interpreter</a> for that compact language (written in native code), than to hold that program written directly in <a href="/facts/Native_code/bgdQ1Fxf">native code</a>.
</p>
<h2 id="reducing-bloat">Reducing bloat</h2>
<p>Some techniques for reducing code bloat include:<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a>
</p>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/Code_refactoring/gkw9oVTE">Code refactoring</a> a commonly used code sequence into a <a href="/facts/Subroutine/9vFJrg0A">subroutine</a>, and calling that subroutine from several locations, rather than <a href="/facts/Copy_and_paste/eksLoJ9M">copy and pasting</a> the code at each of those locations (<a href="/facts/Copy-and-paste_programming/j9GXNpBM">copy-and-paste programming</a>).</li>
<li>Re-using subroutines that have already been written (perhaps with additional parameters), rather than re-writing them again from scratch as a new routine.</li>
<li>Combine <a href="/facts/Program_analysis/oaJTAjhH">program analysis</a> to detect bloated code, with <a href="/facts/Program_transformation/lfNb25cd">program transformation</a> to remove bloated code.</li></ul>
<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/Dead_code_elimination/waQRsajr">Dead code elimination</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Minimalism_(computing)/nNMPqYpQ">Minimalism (computing)</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Muntzing/w38v9jw4">Muntzing</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Polymorphism_(computer_science)/S3cCKsVT">Polymorphism (computer science)</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Software_optimization/nXz6RpRM">Software optimization</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Software_bloat/glhQsSYt">Software bloat</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Lightweight_software/N7Gpccx1">Lightweight software</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1"><p>"Code bloat". DocForge. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2009. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160305150311/http://docforge.com/wiki/code_bloat" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20160305150311/http://docforge.com/wiki/code_bloat</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
</ol>

Code bloat open-in-new

Code bloat