Refactoring 030 - Inline Attributes
Maximiliano Contieri
Engineering Manager@Avature | CS Teacher@UBA | Book Author@O'Reilly | MaximilianoContieri.com
Avoid accidental redundancy
TL;DR: Don’t pass attributes your object already owns
Problems Addressed 😔
Unclear responsibility
Duplicated logic
Parameter pollution
Low cohesion
Parameter redundancy
Incomplete extracted method object
Related Code Smells 💨
Steps 👣
Identify methods that receive owned attributes
Remove those parameters from the method signature
Replace usage with direct access to the attribute
Rename the method if needed to match the new intention
Sample Code 💻
Before 🚨
After 👉
Type 📝
[X] Automatic
Safety 🛡️
This refactoring is straightforward and safe if you have good test coverage.
Why is the Code Better? ✨
You remove accidental complexity.
You stop pretending your method needs information from the outside.
You reduce the cognitive load and improve encapsulation.
You clarify which attributes are essential.
You avoid passing the same data through different paths.
You reduce parameter redundancy and simplify method signatures.
You eliminate the possibility of passing inconsistent values since methods now directly access the object's state.
This makes the code more maintainable and reduces the cognitive load when reading method calls.
The methods become more cohesive by relying on their own object's data rather than external parameters.
How Does it Improve the Bijection? 🗺️
This refactoring enhances the Bijection by aligning object behavior more closely with real-world entities.
You match the real-world concept: an object uses what it owns.
You improve the anthropomorphism and avoid unrealistic indirection.
You also reduce internal and external coupling.
Limitations ⚠️
This works only if the method always uses the internal attribute.
If you need to inject different versions for testing or variations, consider using dependency injection or a strategy pattern.
Refactor with AI 🤖
Suggested Prompt: 1. Identify methods that receive owned attributes 2. Remove those parameters from the method signature 3. Replace usage with direct access to the attribute 4. Rename the method if needed to match the new intention
Without Proper Instructions 📵
With Specific Instructions 👩🏫
Tags 🏷️
Encapsulation
Level 🔋
[X] Beginner
Related Refactorings 🔄
Remove Parameter
Introduce Parameter Object
Credits 🙏
Image by F. Muhammad on Pixabay
This article is part of the Refactoring Series.