How To Write Reusable Software: A Lesson From LEGO Blocks

I don't know about the places where you have worked, but where I've worked we haven't had a very good track record for writing code that actually gets re-used. In fact, at one place we even gave up: "Software reuse is overrated" a boss muttered once.

I think the reason we fail so miserably is that we focus too much on the end goal (reusable code), and too little on the qualities that make software reusable. What, then, are the properties of reusable code? Well, that's where the LEGO blocks part comes in.


The LEGO block analogy comes from David West's Object Thinking, but I'd like to highlight a few ideas that make this metaphor so applicable to software development:

• The interface is simple and intuitive. I've seen my 3 year old daughter build ships with LEGOs. If you want your code to be reused, it should be so simple and so intuitive that others could use it without having to refer to external documentation.
• There's a finite and small number of LEGO block types. If you find that your library has a high number of classes, think about what you are doing. After all, everything on this planet is made from the same 92 (naturally occurring) elements.
• LEGOs are cool because you can build stuff. The reason everyone loves LEGO blocks is because they can build whatever they want with them, not just what the box tells them to build. Your software should be the same way; you should be surprised by what end users build with your code. If your code only gets used for what you envisioned, you've failed to write reusable code: people are not able to compose software with your code.

Finally, don't forget that people don't really care about the technical details behind LEGO blocks; no one cares how the plastic is molded, dyed, etc. LEGO blocks aren't reused because of how well they're manufactured; they're reused because they let end users accomplish their goals.

Once people are able to accomplish their goals with your code, they'll be using it over and over gain. Guaranteed!