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1500 questions
282
votes
7 answers
How to write a very basic compiler
Advanced compilers like gcc compile code into machine readable files according to the language in which the code has been written (e.g. C, C++, etc). In fact, they interpret the meaning of the code according to library and functions of the…
Googlebot
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282
votes
6 answers
Choosing between Single or multiple projects in a git repository?
In a git environment, where we have modularized most projects, we're facing the one project per repository or multiple projects per repository design issue. Let's consider a modularized project:
myProject/
+-- gui
+-- core
+-- api
+--…
Johan Sjöberg
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280
votes
6 answers
Can I use GPL software in a commercial application
I have 3 questions about the GPL here:
If I use GPL software in my application, but don't modify or distribute it, do I have to release my application under the GPL?
What if I modify some software that my application uses. Then do I have to release…
Petah
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278
votes
25 answers
How do you know you're writing good code?
I love programming. I've been messing around with code since I was a kid. I never went the professional route, but I have coded several in-house applications for various employers, including a project I got roped into where I built an internal…
Jim
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276
votes
17 answers
Why have private fields, isn't protected enough?
Is the visibility private of class fields/properties/attributes useful? In OOP, sooner or later, you are going to make a subclass of a class and in that case, it is good to understand and be able to modify the implementation completely.
One of the…
Adam Libuša
- 2,067
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275
votes
14 answers
Should we avoid object creation in Java?
I was told by a colleague that in Java object creation is the most expensive operation you could perform. So I can only conclude to create as few objects as possible.
This seems somewhat to defeat the purpose of object oriented programming. If we…
Slamice
- 2,647
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266
votes
10 answers
Should images be stored in a git repository?
For a distributed team that uses Git and GitHub as version control, should images also be stored in the git repository?
The images in question are small/medium-sized web-friendly images. For the most part, the images won't be changed. The folder…
spong
- 9,361
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265
votes
33 answers
How do you tell if advice from a senior developer is bad?
Recently, I started my first job as a junior developer and I have a more senior developer in charge of mentoring me in this small company. However, there are several times when he would give me advice on things that I just couldn't agree with (it…
learnjourney
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264
votes
22 answers
How are globals any different from a database?
I just ran across this old question asking what's so evil about global state, and the top-voted, accepted answer asserts that you can't trust any code that works with global variables, because some other code somewhere else might come along and…
Mason Wheeler
- 82,151
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262
votes
7 answers
What does the Spring framework do? Should I use it? Why or why not?
So, I'm starting a brand-new project in Java, and am considering using Spring. Why am I considering Spring? Because lots of people tell me I should use Spring! Seriously, any time I've tried to get people to explain what exactly Spring is or what…
sangfroid
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259
votes
21 answers
Are `break` and `continue` bad programming practices?
My boss keeps mentioning nonchalantly that bad programmers use break and continue in loops.
I use them all the time because they make sense; let me show you the inspiration:
function verify(object) {
if (object->value < 0) return false;
if…
Mikhail
- 367
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- 10
257
votes
137 answers
Perks for new programmers
I intend on hiring 2-3 junior programmers right out of college. Aside from cash, what is the most important perk for a young programmer? Is it games at work? I want to be creative... I want some good ideas
Autobyte
256
votes
33 answers
How can I deal with the cargo-cult programming attitude?
I have some computer science students in a compulsory introductory programming course who see a programming language as a set of magic spells, which must be cast in order to achieve some effect (instead of seeing it as a flexible medium for…
Aivar
- 301
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252
votes
11 answers
Why do many exception messages not contain useful details?
It seems there is a certain amount of agreement that exception messages should contain useful details.
Why is it that many common exceptions from system components do not contain useful details?
A few examples:
.NET List index access…
Martin Ba
- 7,578
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250
votes
16 answers
What's wrong with comments that explain complex code?
A lot of people claim that "comments should explain 'why', but not 'how'". Others say that "code should be self-documenting" and comments should be scarce. Robert C. Martin claims that (rephrased to my own words) often "comments are apologies for…
Aviv Cohn
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