Program Logic and Design

Structure of Code

Spaghetti Code

• Unstructured, tangled program statements
• Comparable to tangled spaghetti
• Programs may work, but:
  • Difficult to read
  • Hard to maintain
  • Prone to errors
• Often scrapped or abandoned due to complexity and cost of updates

Examples of Issues with Spaghetti Code

• Example: Unstructured logic for washing a dog
  • Steps may seem logical to someone familiar with the process
  • Difficult to follow for someone unfamiliar with the process (e.g., not an animal person)
  • Flow lines should not cross
  • Hard to maintain and read
  • Logic is unclear (e.g., whether to shampoo or rinse the dog at any point)

Transition

• Next discussion: Strategies to structure programs
• Understand the three basic structures of programming