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

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References

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