Code Reusability In Software

Development
By Sakshi Pandey, Community Contributor - November 28, 2024

Code reusability is the capacity to repurpose pre-existing code

when developing new software applications. Ideally, code reuse
should be easy to implement, and any stable, functional code
could freely be reused when building a new software application.
Unfortunately, this is not the case; It’s very important to ensure
that the code being reused is appropriate and a good fit for the
software application.

Pre-existing code can be recycled to perform the same function

or repurposed to perform a similar but slightly different function.
Code reusability increases productivity reduces costs, and
improves overall quality. Reusability in software development is a
highly popular and productive practice.

Features that Code with a Potential for Reuse should have:

Versatility which allows for the code to be easily adapted for

another application.
Compatibility with different hardware.
It should be free of any bugs or defects that may affect the
security or dependability of the other application.

Table of Contents

What is Code Reusability?

Types of Code Reuse
Techniques for Achieving Code Reusability
1. Modularization
:
 2. Encapsulation and Abstraction
3. Inheritance (for Object-Oriented Programming)
4. Generics and Templates
5. Libraries and Frameworks
6. Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) / Microservices
7. Code Libraries and Repositories
8. Design Patterns
9. Version Control Systems (VCS)
Advantages of Code Reuse
Challenges with Code-Reusability
Code Reuse in Microservices Architecture
Checklist to Ensure the Quality of Reusable Code

What is Code Reusability?

Code Reusability is a practice of writing software code in a way

that allows it to be reused in different parts of the same program
or in different projects without having to be rewritten from
scratch.

Code Reusability is fundamental to efficient software

development, as it reduces redundancy, promotes maintainability,
and speeds up the development process.

Types of Code Reuse

Code Reuse can be planned. Development teams can write

software components with the vision to reuse them in the future,
or, on some occasions, developers may realize that they have
code from previous projects that can be reused by sheer
coincidence.

There are two major types of code reuse:

:
 1. Internal reuse – This is when code written internally by a
developer team or business is reused for other projects.
2. External reuse – This is when some third-party tool or code
is licensed and employed in a project. This can be tricky since
costs will be involved, and time will be required to learn and
implement the tool. Additionally, it creates a dependency
upon an external tool which may lead to issues further down
the line.

Techniques for Achieving Code Reusability

Below are different techniques of code reusability:

1. Modularization

Break down the code into smaller, independent modules

(functions, classes, components) that can be reused in different
contexts.

Example: A function that sorts an array of numbers can be

reused in different parts of the application.

Benefits of Modularization

Makes code easier to test and debug.

Promotes separation of concerns.
Enhances flexibility, as modules can be swapped or replaced
independently.

2. Encapsulation and Abstraction

Encapsulate complex functionality within well-defined interfaces

or classes. Use abstraction to hide implementation details.

Example: A payment gateway class that abstracts the process of

:
 making payments (like via credit card, PayPal) can be reused
across different parts of the application.

Benefits of Encapsulation and Abstraction

Simplifies interaction with complex systems.

Reusability is enhanced when implementation details are hidden,
and only the essential interface is exposed.

3. Inheritance (for Object-Oriented Programming)

Reuse code by creating a new class that inherits functionality

from an existing class.

Example: A Vehicle class with basic properties (speed, capacity)

can be extended by other classes like Car, Truck, and
Motorcycle to reuse its common features.

Benefits of Inheritance

Reduces code duplication by allowing shared functionality to be

inherited.
Supports polymorphism, which helps in creating flexible systems.

4. Generics and Templates

Use generics (in languages like Java, C#, C++) or templates (in
C++) to create reusable code that works with any data type.

Example: A generic function to swap two values (could work with

integers, strings, objects, etc.).

Benefits of Generics and Templates

Allows the same code to work with different types, reducing

duplication.
:
 Ensures type safety and prevents errors that could arise from
using different data types.

5. Libraries and Frameworks

Reuse pre-built libraries, frameworks, and third-party

components to handle common functionality (such as logging,
authentication, or UI components).

Example: Using a framework like React for front-end

development, which provides reusable components for building
user interfaces.

Benefits of Libraries and Frameworks

Saves time by leveraging established solutions.

Increases reliability because these libraries are often well-tested
and widely used.

6. Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) / Microservices

Reuse functionality by building services or microservices that

provide specific features and can be accessed by different parts
of the application.

Example: A user authentication service that can be reused

across multiple applications (like, web, mobile, or desktop).

Benefits of SOA / Microservices

Promotes modularity and independent development.

Easier to scale, as services can be reused in various applications
or environments.

7. Code Libraries and Repositories

:
 Creating reusable libraries or repositories that house functions,
classes, and modules that can be shared across different projects
or teams.

Example: A shared repository for utility functions like

parseDate(), formatCurrency(), or sendEmail() that can be
used in multiple projects.

Benefits of Code Libraries and Repositories

Centralizes reusable code, making it easier to find and use.

Facilitates collaboration across teams and projects.

8. Design Patterns

Use design patterns to solve common design problems in a

reusable and efficient manner.

Example: The Singleton pattern ensures only one instance of a

class exists, and this instance is used throughout the application.

Benefits of Design Patterns:

Provides well-established solutions to recurring problems.

Increases maintainability and reduces the likelihood of errors by
adhering to proven patterns.

9. Version Control Systems (VCS)

Use VCS like Git to track and manage reusable code across
different versions, branches, or projects.

Example: A utils folder with commonly used helper functions

can be versioned and reused across different repositories or
projects.
:
 Benefits of Version Control System:

Encourages collaboration and versioning.

Makes it easy to share and reuse code across multiple teams or
projects.

Advantages of Code Reuse

Here are some of the advantages of Code Reusability:

Saves Time: Code Reuse improves productivity and eliminates

the need for rewriting pieces of code that are already perfectly
functional and available to use. This also helps developers to
focus their attention on writing original code to create new
features which add value and improve the caliber of the software
product. Businesses are often on a tight schedule that requires
them to churn out applications at a fast pace in order to get an
edge on their competitors; code for similar features can often be
used across several projects to expedite their delivery.

Lower Cost: Saving on time also allows the business to save on

costs. Additionally, by utilizing pre-existing code, organizations
can reduce expenses associated with app development, avoiding
the need to hire more people and obtain additional resources.

Reduced Development Risks: Often, the code being reused is

tried and tested. Since it’s already been to battle and survived, it’s
safe to say that the code will be highly reliable and free from
defects. This guarantees a good user experience since the code is
likely to run smoothly and be perfectly functional.
Prevents Code Bloat: Bloated code is considered to be
needlessly long, slow, and resource-intensive. To prevent the
formation of undesired functionality or code bloat, it is crucial to
:
 reuse efficient and simple code, if it is available, across
applications.

Challenges with Code-Reusability

Here are some of the challenges faced in Code Reusability:

1. Communication: As the scale of the project increases, it

becomes increasingly difficult to communicate effectively
with all the developers involved and implement code reuse.
Properly communicating the specifics and conditions for
code reuse becomes confusing, and it becomes harder to
brainstorm with the entire team to find areas of the project
where code can be reused.
2. Office Politics: Conflict is inevitable amongst teams, and
with larger organizations, this can be a hindrance to the
organization as a whole. Certain teams may be dissatisfied
with having parts of their code reused by other teams that
they are in conflict or competition with.
3. 3. Administration: Maintaining and using libraries of
reusable code takes a lot of time and effort, it can truly be a
challenge. Especially with large businesses which have a
surfeit of projects, it can become very demanding to
efficiently maintain a library of potentially reusable code,
identify areas of a project where code can be reused, and
carry out code reuse.

Code Reuse in Microservices Architecture

Microservice architecture is used by several organizations today

and serves as a good practical example of how code reuse can be
implemented in real software development projects.
:
 Small independent services or components, created by various
small autonomous teams, make up a microservices architecture.
Each service is independent of the other, and to operate as
software, these services communicate via a simple, lightweight
API.

This type of design enables companies to produce software more

quickly. The autonomous teams are given more latitude in how
they update and release code or respond to an application
requirement. Additionally, teams can be more creative since they
:
 need to focus on only one independent service, and their
communication requirements are minimized.

This disconnect between the teams may also be harmful. The

developers can write code once and utilize it multiple times at
different locations in the application, thanks to the code reuse in a
microservices architecture. Due to the large range of
functionalities a piece of code can assist with, it is possible to
reuse it several times within a microservice. However, code reuse
between distinct microservices presents greater difficulties.

The purpose of a microservice architecture is to reduce any

potential dependencies; by reusing code between autonomous
teams, there is a high probability that dependencies will arise.

The best method to implement code reuse in a microservice

architecture is to create a microservice for the code that teams
want to reuse. This microservice can be used to work with other
separate microservices by the autonomous teams through APIs.
This method ensures that the microservice architecture is
uncompromised and there aren’t any dependencies between
services.

Checklist to Ensure the Quality of Reusable Code

Before reusing any code it is vital to ensure that the quality of the
code is up to par. There are four major items that need to be
:
 evaluated to determine whether the code quality is sufficient for
code reuse.

1. Security: It’s important to ensure no internal vulnerabilities

exist in the code prior to reuse. It’s generally safer to reuse
internal code in comparison to code from third-party
sources.
2. Reliability: Code must be trustworthy in order to be reused.
By ensuring availability, fault tolerance, and recoverability,
you can guarantee trustworthy and reliable code.
3. Performance Efficiency: Code reusability is only useful if
the code being implemented is efficient.
4. Maintainability: It’s important to ensure that the code being
reused is fault-tolerant and easily maintainable.

Code reuse can greatly optimize the development process of

applications and increase productivity in software development
teams. It can help save on costs, and time, reduce development
risks, and prevent code bloat.

Several challenges, such as communication or administrative

issues, as well as office politics, can also hinder the potential of
code reuse. However, under the right circumstances, code reuse
is well worth implementing.

It is always important to test code prior to reuse in order to ensure

that the feature set works as planned. BrowserStack allows you to
test your web and mobile applications on 3000+ combinations of
devices, operating systems, and browsers. With Browserstack,
users can perform manual or automated tests seamlessly using
different frameworks such as Selenium, Cypress, Playwright,
Puppeteer, Appium, Espresso, and XCUITest.
:
 Start testing now

Conclusion

Code Reusability is essential for enhancing software development

efficiency, reducing redundancy, and ensuring maintainability. By
embracing reusable components, developers can speed up the
development process, improve consistency, and minimize errors.

Leveraging tools like BrowserStack ensures smooth cross-

browser testing, further optimizing reusable code and ensuring its
functionality across diverse platforms, ultimately improving
overall software quality.

Thanks a lot for your feedback!

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