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Orthogonality

The quality/ability/extent of being orthogonal.

Orthogonality in systems refers to the design principle where changes in one part of the system do not affect other parts. It emphasizes the independence and decoupling of system components, leading to simpler and more maintainable systems.

System Quality Attribute

As a system quality attribute, orthogonality ensures that components or modules within a system are designed to function independently, reducing complexity and improving maintainability.

Key Aspects:

  • Independence: Each component operates independently, minimizing dependencies.
  • Decoupling: Clear separation of concerns, where each module or component addresses a specific function.
  • Simplicity: Reduction in system complexity, making it easier to understand, modify, and maintain.

Non-Functional Requirement

As a non-functional requirement (NFR), orthogonality defines the criteria and standards for creating a system where components can be modified, replaced, or developed independently of one another.

Key Aspects:

  • Modularity: Structuring the system into distinct, independent modules.
  • Interchangeability: The ability to replace components without impacting other parts of the system.
  • Clear Interfaces: Well-defined interfaces for communication between independent components.

Cross-Functional Constraint

As a cross-functional constraint, orthogonality affects various aspects of system design, development, and operation. It requires collaboration across different teams to ensure that components are developed and maintained independently.

Key Aspects:

  • Consistent Design Practices: Applying consistent design principles to ensure independence and decoupling.
  • Collaborative Development: Teams working together to identify and define clear boundaries between components.
  • Standardization: Using standardized protocols and interfaces to ensure compatibility and independence.

Implementing Orthogonality

To implement orthogonality, the following steps should be taken:

  • Design Modular Architecture: Create a modular system architecture where each component has a specific responsibility and interacts with other components through well-defined interfaces.
  • Define Clear Interfaces: Establish clear and consistent interfaces for communication between components, ensuring that changes in one component do not affect others.
  • Use Decoupling Techniques: Employ techniques such as dependency injection and service-oriented architecture to minimize dependencies between components.
  • Promote Separation of Concerns: Encourage a design approach where different concerns or functionalities are handled by separate components, reducing interdependencies and simplifying maintenance.

Define orthogonal: In computing and software, orthogonal refers to the idea that different features or aspects of a system are independent and do not affect each other. This means that a change in one feature will not affect the behavior or function of another feature. In other words, orthogonal features should not have any dependencies or correlations with each other. This approach is often used in the design of programming languages, where orthogonal features make the language more modular, easy to use, and maintainable.

See Also