Can we consider the following class as Data Class code smell

Question

public class Division extends ColumnFixture { public float numerator; public float denominator; public float quotient() { return numerator / denominator; } }

Nitin Sontakke · Answer

While I appreciate the kind of questions you are asking, I must also add that you are being too academic. Personally, I am not even sure if this level of academic approach towards OO is required or not unless of course, you are doing PhD or something like that in the subject. General academic awareness is a different thing and practical approach is a different thing. It is only after I read your other question that I came to know about the term 'God Class'. Immediately googled it and found this. http://wiki.c2.com/?GodClass If you are truly interested in the subject, I suggest you read a book ( https://www.amazon.in/Object-Oriented-Design-Heuristics-paperback-Arthur/dp/0321774965 ). Asking questions on forum is not going to give much of knowledge, except may be few hyperlinks. That is what I am doing.... Disclaimer: Whatever is said above, is obviously strictly my personal view. So there is no need to take it seriously. All I am trying to do is balance your thoughts.

Nitin Sontakke · Answer

Aha! That explains. Because I have been doing coding for last about over 15 years and honestly, I had never ever heard this term. Had this been asked in an interview, I would have (obviously) failed it. I sincerely believe that the academic domain and practical domain are distinctly different. Just to give you an idea, someone who is a good teacher for any subject like Engineering, IT, Medical, etc. is very unlikely (notice I am not saying impossible) to be good in that domain in real life. The entire thinking process in these two domain is fundamentally different. Coming back to the subject, whatever few words I read about the God class, all it meant it tries to do everything itself instead of making necessary fragments in the code. Now, I think, here the perception comes into play. How many properties are too many properties. How many columns in tables are too many columns. How much rich is filthy rich. There is no yardstick. There is no black and white line to draw. All you have to do is being pragmatic. And personally, I have always been pragmatic and been using common sense. So unfortunately, at least I will not be able to answer the questions you are raising. And while I don't mean to discourage you, I sincerely doubt if any programmer in profession would. Sorry and Thank you.

Muhammad Ilyas · Answer

Thank you so much Sir@Nitin for you reply. Yes Sir, you are right I am a Ph.D. student and I study code smells. Actually I want to know what does progammers say about these code smells. How they identity them? etc. As for as the book you mentioned is concern. Sir, I have studied this book. Thanks once again Sir