Cyclomatic complexity
What is cyclomatic complexity?
Cyclomatic complexity is a software metric used to measure the complexity of a program. It quantifies the number of linearly independent paths through a program's source code. This metric was developed by Thomas McCabe in 1976 and is calculated using the control flow graph of the program. The control flow graph is a graphical representation where each node represents a block of code, and the edges represent the flow of execution. Cyclomatic complexity is computed as the number of linearly independent paths within the code, which can be calculated using the formula: M = E - N + 2P, where E is the number of edges in the graph, N is the number of nodes, and P is the number of connected components (usually P=1 for a connected graph). This measure helps developers understand the testing effort required and the potential risks due to the program's complexity.
Why is cyclomatic complexity important?
Testing efficiency. Cyclomatic complexity directly correlates with the number of test cases needed for functional coverage. A higher complexity score indicates more paths through the code, each of which likely needs to be tested to ensure the application works as expected. This helps in planning and implementing effective testing strategies, ensuring that all possible execution paths are evaluated and reducing the risk of bugs in production.
Maintainability. Programs with lower cyclomatic complexity are generally easier to maintain. Simpler code with fewer paths is easier to understand, modify, and enhance. This is crucial in agile and iterative development environments where code changes are frequent and must be manageable. Lower complexity leads to reduced costs and effort in ongoing software maintenance.
Risk management. High cyclomatic complexity often signals higher risk in software development, as complex code is more prone to errors and harder to debug. By identifying modules with high complexity, teams can target critical areas for refactoring, thus reducing potential points of failure and improving the system's overall robustness.
What are the limitations of cyclomatic complexity?
Scope of measurement. Cyclomatic complexity measures only one dimension of software complexity - the control flow. It does not account for other factors such as data complexity, user interface complexity, or the complexity arising from external systems interactions. This means it might not fully represent the overall complexity of a system.
Insensitive to code size. Cyclomatic complexity is insensitive to the actual size of the codebase. A small module with a high complexity value and a large module with the same value are rated equally, despite the potential for much greater difficulty in understanding and maintaining the larger codebase.
Does not reflect code quality. A high cyclomatic complexity does not necessarily mean that the code is of poor quality, nor does a low complexity score guarantee high-quality code. Other factors like coding standards, documentation, and software architecture also critically impact code quality and maintainability.
Metrics related to cyclomatic complexity
Code coverage. Code coverage measures the percentage of code which is executed during testing, providing an insight into areas of the code that may not be adequately tested. High cyclomatic complexity often requires extensive test cases to achieve high code coverage, making these two metrics closely related. Ensuring high code coverage in areas with high cyclomatic complexity can help reduce the risk of defects.
Defect density. Defect density is calculated as the number of known defects divided by the size of the software entity. There is often a correlation between cyclomatic complexity and defect density; as complexity increases, the probability of defects can also increase because more complex code tends to have more faults. Monitoring defect density in conjunction with cyclomatic complexity can provide insights into the impact of complexity on software quality.
Code churn. Code churn refers to the amount of code that is changed, added, or removed from a software project over time. High cyclomatic complexity can lead to higher churn rates as developers might need to frequently update complex code to fix bugs or add new features. Tracking code churn in relation to cyclomatic complexity can help teams understand how changes in code complexity affect their development practices over time.
