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In software engineering, coupling refers to the degree to which one module, class, or method depends on another one. It is a measure of how much a change in one module or component could affect another, and it's a key indicator of the quality and maintainability of an architecture. |
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Coupling can be categorized into two types: loose coupling and tight coupling.
Loose Coupling: In loose coupling, the components are mostly independent and have little knowledge about each other. Changes in one component won't significantly impact the other ones. Loose coupling is generally favored because it makes the system easier to refactor, test, and maintain.
Tight Coupling: In tight coupling, components are highly dependent on each other. Any changes in one component may significantly affect the others. Tight coupling can make a system more difficult to change, test, and maintain, as changes in one place could necessitate changes in many other places.
Highly decoupled (or loosely coupled) systems often exhibit the following properties:
Modularity: Each component of the system is independent and encapsulates its own functionality.
Replaceability: It's easier to replace or change parts of the system without breaking other parts.
Reusability: Independent, modular components can be reused in different contexts.
On the other hand, tightly coupled systems often have issues such as:
Harder to maintain: Changes in one part might break functionality in other parts.
Difficult to test: Testing one component often means you need to account for its dependencies, which complicates unit testing.
Lower reusability: Tightly coupled components are often specialized and context-specific, making them harder to reuse.
It's important to note that no system can be entirely loosely coupled, and some degree of coupling is inevitable. The key is to manage the coupling to provide a balance between system integration and modularity.