The Ternary Metaprogramming Trap TL;DR: Avoid using ternary operators for dynamic method calls Problems Reduced code readability
Increased debugging difficulty
Potential runtime errors
Decreased maintainability
Possible refactoring problems
Obscured program flow
Metaprogramming pitfalls Solutions Use explicit conditionals
Apply the strategy pattern
Create descriptive methods Context Ternary metaprogramming uses conditional operators to select and invoke methods dynamically. It leads to code that's harder to understand, debug, and maintain. You risk introducing subtle bugs and making your code obscure to other developers. Clean Code is the opposite of Clever Code. Sample Code Wrong const method = success ? 'start' : 'stop';
obj[method](); Right if (success) {
    obj.start();
} else {
    obj.stop();
} Detection [x]Automatic Your linters can detect this smell by looking for ternary operators to select method names, especially when combined with bracket notation for method calls. You can also watch for variables that store method names based on conditions. Tags Metaprogramming Level [x]Beginner AI Generation AI code generators might introduce this smell since they prioritize code brevity over readability. They could generate ternary metaprogramming patterns when trying to produce concise code. AI Detection AI detectors can identify this smell by recognizing patterns of ternary operators used for method selection. They may need specific instructions about readability and maintainability. Try Them! Remember AI Assistants make lots of mistakes ChatGPT Claude Perplexity Gemini Conclusion Ternary metaprogramming can seem clever and concise but creates more problems than it solves. By favoring explicit conditionals and well-named methods, you can write easier-to-understand, debug, and maintain code. Remember that code is read far more often than written, so prioritize clarity over brevity. Relations https://hackernoon.com/how-to-find-the-stinky-parts-of-your-code-part-ii-o96s3wl4 https://hackernoon.com/how-to-find-the-stinky-parts-of-your-code-part-xlii https://hackernoon.com/how-to-find-the-stinky-parts-of-your-code-part-v-evj3zs9 More Info https://hackernoon.com/laziness-chapter-i-meta-programming-6s4l300e?embedable=true Disclaimer Code Smells are my opinion. Credits Photo by Burst on Unsplash Programs must be written for people to read, and only incidentally for machines to execute. Harold Abelson https://hackernoon.com/400-thought-provoking-software-engineering-quotes?embedable=true This article is part of the CodeSmell Series. How to Find the Stinky Parts of your Code The Ternary Metaprogramming Trap The Ternary Metaprogramming Trap TL;DR: Avoid using ternary operators for dynamic method calls TL;DR: Avoid using ternary operators for dynamic method calls Problems Reduced code readability Increased debugging difficulty Potential runtime errors Decreased maintainability Possible refactoring problems Obscured program flow Metaprogramming pitfalls Reduced code readability Increased debugging difficulty Potential runtime errors Decreased maintainability Possible refactoring problems Obscured program flow Metaprogramming pitfalls Metaprogramming Solutions Use explicit conditionals Apply the strategy pattern Create descriptive methods Use explicit conditionals Apply the strategy pattern Create descriptive methods Context Ternary metaprogramming uses conditional operators to select and invoke methods dynamically. It leads to code that's harder to understand, debug, and maintain. You risk introducing subtle bugs and making your code obscure to other developers. Clean Code is the opposite of Clever Code . Clever Code Sample Code Wrong const method = success ? 'start' : 'stop';
obj[method](); const method = success ? 'start' : 'stop';
obj[method](); Right if (success) {
    obj.start();
} else {
    obj.stop();
} if (success) {
    obj.start();
} else {
    obj.stop();
} Detection [x]Automatic [x] Automatic [x] Your linters can detect this smell by looking for ternary operators to select method names, especially when combined with bracket notation for method calls. You can also watch for variables that store method names based on conditions. Tags Metaprogramming Metaprogramming Level [x]Beginner [x] Beginner [x] AI Generation AI code generators might introduce this smell since they prioritize code brevity over readability. They could generate ternary metaprogramming patterns when trying to produce concise code. AI Detection AI detectors can identify this smell by recognizing patterns of ternary operators used for method selection. They may need specific instructions about readability and maintainability. Try Them! Remember AI Assistants make lots of mistakes Remember AI Assistants make lots of mistakes ChatGPT Claude Perplexity Gemini ChatGPT Claude Perplexity Gemini Conclusion Ternary metaprogramming can seem clever and concise but creates more problems than it solves. By favoring explicit conditionals and well-named methods, you can write easier-to-understand, debug, and maintain code. Remember that code is read far more often than written, so prioritize clarity over brevity. Relations https://hackernoon.com/how-to-find-the-stinky-parts-of-your-code-part-ii-o96s3wl4 https://hackernoon.com/how-to-find-the-stinky-parts-of-your-code-part-ii-o96s3wl4 https://hackernoon.com/how-to-find-the-stinky-parts-of-your-code-part-xlii https://hackernoon.com/how-to-find-the-stinky-parts-of-your-code-part-xlii https://hackernoon.com/how-to-find-the-stinky-parts-of-your-code-part-v-evj3zs9 https://hackernoon.com/how-to-find-the-stinky-parts-of-your-code-part-v-evj3zs9 More Info https://hackernoon.com/laziness-chapter-i-meta-programming-6s4l300e?embedable=true https://hackernoon.com/laziness-chapter-i-meta-programming-6s4l300e?embedable=true Disclaimer Code Smells are my opinion . opinion Credits Photo by Burst on Unsplash Burst Unsplash Programs must be written for people to read, and only incidentally for machines to execute. Programs must be written for people to read, and only incidentally for machines to execute. Harold Abelson Harold Abelson https://hackernoon.com/400-thought-provoking-software-engineering-quotes?embedable=true https://hackernoon.com/400-thought-provoking-software-engineering-quotes?embedable=true This article is part of the CodeSmell Series. How to Find the Stinky Parts of your Code How to Find the Stinky Parts of your Code

Code Smell 268 - Ternary Metaprogramming

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