Lecture Notes: Reusable Program Components

Introduction

• Topic: Importance of reusable program components in software development.
• Series: Part of a four-part series on thinking ahead.

Benefits of Code Reuse

• Time Efficiency: Shortens development time by utilizing existing, tested code.
• Resource Saving: Saves system resources and lowers development costs.
• Reduction of Redundancy: Decreases the need for writing redundant code.

Key Concepts

Reusable Components

• Definition: Sections of code used in the development of new programs.
• Importance: Identify which parts can be reused from previous solutions.

Modular Programming

• Modular Code: Writing code in a modular way using subroutines (procedures, functions, methods).
• Reusability: These modules can be reused by calling them with the required data.

Software Modules & Libraries

• Example: Importing libraries such as Python’s random.
• Advantages:
  • Pre-written and tested routines.
  • Saves programmer's effort and time.
  • Routines can be reused and may be written in different languages.

Code Reuse in Practice

Internal Reuse

• Example: Office 365 suite sharing components like text appearance panels.
• Benefit: Components designed and tested for multiple programs.

External Reuse

• Example: Technology companies like Facebook offering APIs.
• APIs: Allow integration and reuse of functionalities across different systems.

Conclusion

• Reusability Question: What are reusable program components and how do they save time?

Additional Resources

• Cheat Sheet: Free downloadable resource on computational thinking from student.craiganddave.org.
  • Content: Overview of computational thinking strands and detailed explanations.
  • Access: Available under A-Level Revision section, look for OCR AS and A-Level.
  • Download: Zip file available for download.