Data Quote by Alan Perlis
“It is better to have 100 functions operate on one data structure than to have 10 functions operate on 10 data structures.”
About This Quote
Source Book: "Programming Languages", 1972
A single data structure with many functions is simpler than many structures with few functions.
In simple terms: Use one data model for many operations.
Key Takeaway
Design unified data structures.
Themes
software design
modularity
efficiency
simplicity
Mood
analytical
practical
Type
technical
educational
When to use this quote
- API design
- database schema
- code refactoring
- system architecture
Key Concepts
computer science
software engineering
abstraction
Questions to Reflect On
- How does your data model affect code maintenance?
- When is a single structure insufficient?
A Different Perspective
Complex data may need multiple structures for performance.
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