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Framing the framework conversation
By Jack Vaughan
UPDATED - Application frameworks have been around for a while now, but accepted best practices in application framework building still seem to be something of a new thing. The idea of the application framework emerged along with object-oriented software, when developers began to use high-level APIs to create and manage reusable component libraries.
Best practices are often best described in terms of worst practices, of course, and frameworks are no different.
One worst practice to avoid in framework creation is to look at the application framework in the same way as a typical IT application. So said Jonathan Wanagel, software development engineer, Microsoft, at this week’s Patterns & Practices West Conference in Redmond, Wash.
Wanagel, who has worked as a consultant, cataloged best practices for the Patterns & Practices group, and is now part of the team working on Codeplex, Microsoft's framework-oriented community development site, said he regularly sees people try to approach IT Application Frameworks in the same way as an IT application. When they do this, they start tripping themselves right away, he adds.
There are different classes of frameworks, said Wanagel. “There are some that make sense for IT shops and some that make sense for [Independent Software Vendors].” He said companies should think about having a specific framework team if they haven’t one already. Or they should consider implementing an internal “open-source” model around a framework. This could include a repository for tracking changes and fixes.
“Using frameworks is one of the tools that helps you deal with legacy issues,” he said. “Your framework code can act as a buffer. The underlying application code doesn’t have to change.”
According to Wangagel, keys to “getting it right” reside in how you think of the consumers of your framework. An obvious but sometimes overlooked point: Developers are the people that will be “using” this framework software.
“If you are not using a framework, you are not using a potential tool,” Wanagel told TheServerSide.NET. “It has challenges. It’s something you have to be able to learn how to do effectively. You have to practice applying it.”
Among “anti-patterns” to avoid when working with frameworks, said Wanagel, is adding to an already complicated API. As an example he cites sub-classing the ADO.NET connection class to add more methods.
Seeking too much flexibility can be an anti-pattern too. In this regard he describes a Contortionist pattern that is unnecessary flexibile. That means adding extension points or variables that are not necessary. The resulting framework is more complicated but with no added value.
He agreed that frameworks sometimes have incomplete definition.
Wanagel said: “'Framework' is a pretty overloaded term. It can be libraries, templates, and patterns - usually it is a combination of those elements that is reusable over applications. And it may have a domain focus.” He cites communications as an example of a domain on which frameworks may focus.
How are Wanagel’s framework ideas playing out on the Codeplex site? "With Codeplex itself, we have framework pieces we use that we apply in the building of the site,” he said “What may be more interesting is that, on Codeplex, which is an open-source site, people are building frameworks."
Good examples of such framework activity, he said, include TheBeerHouse CMS/e-commerce website, Ajax.NET Professional, and the SubSonic Data Access Layer (DAL) builder.
Related Patterns & Practices information
Patterns & Practices home page
http://msdn.microsoft.com/practices/
Patterns & Practices Western Summit 2006 agenda pages
http://www.pnpsummit.com/west2006.aspx
Codeplex
http://www.codeplex.com/
SubSonic Project
http://www.codeplex.com/Wiki/View.aspx?ProjectName=actionpack
TheBeerHouse Project
http://www.codeplex.com/Wiki/View.aspx?ProjectName=TheBeerHouse
AjaxPro Project
http://www.codeplex.com/Wiki/View.aspx?ProjectName=AjaxPro
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