Object Oriented Software Engineering   View all facts   Glossary   Help

subject > component > reusable component

reusable component
subject			fact

reusable component	has definition A piece of software, such as a library, command, framework or application that is reused in a software system
	is usually more reliable than software not designed to be reused because it is tested in all the systems it is used in, and because it is used in different contexts, exposing any weak points
	is a subtopic of 9.1 - The Process of Design
	is a kind of component
	must be cataloged
	must be documented
	must have software engineer available to properly maintain it
	simplifies the design of software systems
	will be of high quality if its designer followed the same steps as the development of complete applications: domain and requirements analysis, design, documentation, testing and inspection, and if a software engineer is available to properly maintain it
	will be reused if it is of high quality
component	is reusable if it can be used in several different systems with little or no modification
	may perform a special-purpose function such as the user interface for a particular system