Skeleton (computer programming)
Skeleton programming is a style of computer programming based on simple high-level program structures and so called dummy code. Program skeletons resemble pseudocode, but allow parsing, compilation and testing of the code.
Dummy code is inserted in a program skeleton to simulate processing and avoid compilation error messages. It may involve empty function declarations, or functions that return a correct result only for a simple test case where the expected response of the code is known.
Skeleton programming facilitates a top-down design approach, where a partially functional system with complete high-level structures is designed and coded, and this system is then progressively expanded to fulfill the requirements of the project.
Program skeletons are sometimes used for high-level descriptions of algorithms.
A program skeleton may also be utilized as a template that reflects syntax and structures commonly used in a wide class of problems.
Skeleton programs are utilized in the template method design pattern used in object-oriented programming. See that article for examples of skeleton programs.
In object-oriented programming, dummy code corresponds to an abstract method, a method stub or a mock object. In RMI nomenclature, a skeleton communicates on the client-side with a stub on the server-side.[1]
References
- ↑ Freeman, Eric; Freeman, Elisabeth; Kathy, Sierra; Bert, Bates (2004). Hendrickson, Mike; Loukides, Mike, eds. "Head First Design Patterns" (paperback) 1. O'REILLY. p. 440. ISBN 978-0-596-00712-6. Retrieved 2012-08-28.