Easy examples of redundancy
The following are some examples of simple redundancies in procedural programming. They are given in Python. I typically run into these when I simplify my code after writing it for the first time or after making edits.
Using if-else to assign a Boolean:
if condition:
x = True
else:
x = False
Simplified:
x = condition
(Requires that condition is a Boolean.)
Returning immediately after an assignment:
y = value return y
Simplified:
return value
Common code among branches:
if condition:
group of statements A
group of statements B
group of statements D
else:
group of statements A
group of statements C
group of statements D
Simplified:
group of statements A
if condition:
group of statements B
else:
group of statements C
group of statements D
Nested if-statements:
if condition0:
if condition1:
statements
Simplified:
if condition0 and condition1:
statements
Requires that the outer if-statement does not have an else-clause.
If-statements with the same actions:
if condition0:
statements (same)
if condition1:
statements (same)
Simplified:
if condition0 or condition1:
statements (same)
Requires condition0 and condition1 to be disjoint, or statements
to be idempotent.
2008-07-29-Tue at 16:03
Better yet, for the first example,
x = bool(condition)— condition can be whatever you want now :)Another one that I like to simplify is something like:
if condition:...
foo = bar
else:
foo = None
down to:
foo = Noneif condition:
...
foo = bar
Less code, and I find it easier to read.
(now, let’s just hope all the markup works here… Hurra for not having a “preview” button!)
2008-07-29-Tue at 21:13
You’re such a stalker of my blog, Wolever. Especially when it comes to Python. =P