Software Design Principles: Anti-patterns

What are Anti-patterns?

Anti-patterns are incorrect approaches to software development that, while initially helpful, lead to problems in the long run.

Examples of Anti-patterns

• Big Ball of Mud: Disorganized code without a clear architecture.
• God Object: A class that concentrates too much logic and responsibility.
• Spaghetti Code: Code with messy, unmaintainable structures.

Anti-pattern Example: God Object in Python

This code shows an example of a class that tries to do too much:

class GodObject:
    def __init__(self):
        self.data = []
    
    def add_data(self, item):
        self.data.append(item)
    
    def process_data(self):
        return [item.upper() for item in self.data]
    
    def save_to_file(self, filename):
        with open(filename, 'w') as f:
            f.writelines(self.data)

The problem with this design is that a single class handles too many responsibilities, breaking the single responsibility principle.

Conclusion

Avoiding anti-patterns improves software quality, makes it easier to maintain, and ensures a cleaner and more scalable architecture.