Software Design/Interface size

Interface size (or API size) is an interface quality characterizing the sheer number of interface elements: classes, functions, configuration parameters.

Another way of measuring interface size is measuring conceptual weight: the number and difficulty of concepts that developers must master in order to use the interface.^[1] By definition, conceptual weight is a direct proxy of the steepness of learning curve which is ultimately what important to minimize.^[2]

Relevant practices

Don't hide an object access chain

References

↑ Effective Java (3 ed.). 2018. ISBN 978-0134685991. Item 1: "Consider static factory methods instead of constructors"
↑ Joshua Bloch, Bumper-Sticker API Design: "Minimizing conceptual weight is more important than class- or method-count."

[effective-java-1] Effective Java (3 ed.). 2018. ISBN 978-0134685991. Item 1: "Consider static factory methods instead of constructors"

[api-design-2] Joshua Bloch, Bumper-Sticker API Design: "Minimizing conceptual weight is more important than class- or method-count."

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