Cognitive Complexity

Cognitive Complexity is a measure of how difficult a unit of code is to intuitively understand. Unlike Cyclomatic Complexity, which determines how difficult your code will be to test, Cognitive Complexity tells you how difficult your code will be to read and comprehend.

A method's cognitive complexity is based on a few simple rules:

• Code is not considered more complex when it uses shorthand that the language provides for collapsing multiple statements into one
• Code is considered more complex for each "break in the linear flow of the code"
• Code is considered more complex when "flow breaking structures are nested"

Further reading

• Cognitive Complexity docs
• Cognitive Complexity: A new way of measuring understandability

Cognitive Complexity

Cognitive Complexity is a measure of how difficult a unit of code is to intuitively understand. Unlike Cyclomatic Complexity, which determines how difficult your code will be to test, Cognitive Complexity tells you how difficult your code will be to read and comprehend.

A method's cognitive complexity is based on a few simple rules:

• Code is not considered more complex when it uses shorthand that the language provides for collapsing multiple statements into one
• Code is considered more complex for each "break in the linear flow of the code"
• Code is considered more complex when "flow breaking structures are nested"

Further reading

• Cognitive Complexity docs
• Cognitive Complexity: A new way of measuring understandability

Cognitive Complexity

Cognitive Complexity is a measure of how difficult a unit of code is to intuitively understand. Unlike Cyclomatic Complexity, which determines how difficult your code will be to test, Cognitive Complexity tells you how difficult your code will be to read and comprehend.

A method's cognitive complexity is based on a few simple rules:

• Code is not considered more complex when it uses shorthand that the language provides for collapsing multiple statements into one
• Code is considered more complex for each "break in the linear flow of the code"
• Code is considered more complex when "flow breaking structures are nested"

Further reading

• Cognitive Complexity docs
• Cognitive Complexity: A new way of measuring understandability

Cognitive Complexity

Cognitive Complexity is a measure of how difficult a unit of code is to intuitively understand. Unlike Cyclomatic Complexity, which determines how difficult your code will be to test, Cognitive Complexity tells you how difficult your code will be to read and comprehend.

A method's cognitive complexity is based on a few simple rules:

• Code is not considered more complex when it uses shorthand that the language provides for collapsing multiple statements into one
• Code is considered more complex for each "break in the linear flow of the code"
• Code is considered more complex when "flow breaking structures are nested"

Further reading

• Cognitive Complexity docs
• Cognitive Complexity: A new way of measuring understandability

Cognitive Complexity

Cognitive Complexity is a measure of how difficult a unit of code is to intuitively understand. Unlike Cyclomatic Complexity, which determines how difficult your code will be to test, Cognitive Complexity tells you how difficult your code will be to read and comprehend.

A method's cognitive complexity is based on a few simple rules:

• Code is not considered more complex when it uses shorthand that the language provides for collapsing multiple statements into one
• Code is considered more complex for each "break in the linear flow of the code"
• Code is considered more complex when "flow breaking structures are nested"

Further reading

• Cognitive Complexity docs
• Cognitive Complexity: A new way of measuring understandability

NPathComplexity

Since: 0.1

The NPath complexity of a method is the number of acyclic execution paths through that method. A threshold of 200 is generally considered the point where measures should be taken to reduce complexity.

Example

class Foo {
    function bar() {
        // lots of complicated code
    }
}

Source https://phpmd.org/rules/codesize.html#npathcomplexity

CyclomaticComplexity

Since: 0.1

Complexity is determined by the number of decision points in a method plus one for the method entry. The decision points are 'if', 'while', 'for', and 'case labels'. Generally, 1-4 is low complexity, 5-7 indicates moderate complexity, 8-10 is high complexity, and 11+ is very high complexity.

Example

// Cyclomatic Complexity = 11
class Foo {
1   public function example() {
2       if ($a == $b) {
3           if ($a1 == $b1) {
                fiddle();
4           } elseif ($a2 == $b2) {
                fiddle();
            } else {
                fiddle();
            }
5       } elseif ($c == $d) {
6           while ($c == $d) {
                fiddle();
            }
7        } elseif ($e == $f) {
8           for ($n = 0; $n < $h; $n++) {
                fiddle();
            }
        } else {
            switch ($z) {
9               case 1:
                    fiddle();
                    break;
10              case 2:
                    fiddle();
                    break;
11              case 3:
                    fiddle();
                    break;
                default:
                    fiddle();
                    break;
            }
        }
    }
}

Source https://phpmd.org/rules/codesize.html#cyclomaticcomplexity

CyclomaticComplexity

Since: 0.1

Complexity is determined by the number of decision points in a method plus one for the method entry. The decision points are 'if', 'while', 'for', and 'case labels'. Generally, 1-4 is low complexity, 5-7 indicates moderate complexity, 8-10 is high complexity, and 11+ is very high complexity.

Example

// Cyclomatic Complexity = 11
class Foo {
1   public function example() {
2       if ($a == $b) {
3           if ($a1 == $b1) {
                fiddle();
4           } elseif ($a2 == $b2) {
                fiddle();
            } else {
                fiddle();
            }
5       } elseif ($c == $d) {
6           while ($c == $d) {
                fiddle();
            }
7        } elseif ($e == $f) {
8           for ($n = 0; $n < $h; $n++) {
                fiddle();
            }
        } else {
            switch ($z) {
9               case 1:
                    fiddle();
                    break;
10              case 2:
                    fiddle();
                    break;
11              case 3:
                    fiddle();
                    break;
                default:
                    fiddle();
                    break;
            }
        }
    }
}

Source https://phpmd.org/rules/codesize.html#cyclomaticcomplexity

CouplingBetweenObjects

Since: 1.1.0

A class with too many dependencies has negative impacts on several quality aspects of a class. This includes quality criteria like stability, maintainability and understandability

Example

class Foo {
    /**
     * @var \foo\bar\X
     */
    private $x = null;

    /**
     * @var \foo\bar\Y
     */
    private $y = null;

    /**
     * @var \foo\bar\Z
     */
    private $z = null;

    public function setFoo(\Foo $foo) {}
    public function setBar(\Bar $bar) {}
    public function setBaz(\Baz $baz) {}

    /**
     * @return \SplObjectStorage
     * @throws \OutOfRangeException
     * @throws \InvalidArgumentException
     * @throws \ErrorException
     */
    public function process(\Iterator $it) {}

    // ...
}

Source https://phpmd.org/rules/design.html#couplingbetweenobjects

ExitExpression

Since: 0.2

An exit-expression within regular code is untestable and therefore it should be avoided. Consider to move the exit-expression into some kind of startup script where an error/exception code is returned to the calling environment.

Example

class Foo {
    public function bar($param)  {
        if ($param === 42) {
            exit(23);
        }
    }
}

Source https://phpmd.org/rules/design.html#exitexpression

UnusedFormalParameter

Since: 0.2

Avoid passing parameters to methods or constructors and then not using those parameters.

Example

class Foo
{
    private function bar($howdy)
    {
        // $howdy is not used
    }
}

Source https://phpmd.org/rules/unusedcode.html#unusedformalparameter

UnusedLocalVariable

Since: 0.2

Detects when a local variable is declared and/or assigned, but not used.

Example

class Foo {
    public function doSomething()
    {
        $i = 5; // Unused
    }
}

Source https://phpmd.org/rules/unusedcode.html#unusedlocalvariable

UnusedFormalParameter

Since: 0.2

Avoid passing parameters to methods or constructors and then not using those parameters.

Example

class Foo
{
    private function bar($howdy)
    {
        // $howdy is not used
    }
}

Source https://phpmd.org/rules/unusedcode.html#unusedformalparameter

UnusedFormalParameter

Since: 0.2

Avoid passing parameters to methods or constructors and then not using those parameters.

Example

class Foo
{
    private function bar($howdy)
    {
        // $howdy is not used
    }
}

Source https://phpmd.org/rules/unusedcode.html#unusedformalparameter

UnusedFormalParameter

Since: 0.2

Avoid passing parameters to methods or constructors and then not using those parameters.

Example

class Foo
{
    private function bar($howdy)
    {
        // $howdy is not used
    }
}

Source https://phpmd.org/rules/unusedcode.html#unusedformalparameter

LongVariable

Since: 0.2

Detects when a field, formal or local variable is declared with a long name.

Example

class Something {
    protected $reallyLongIntName = -3; // VIOLATION - Field
    public static function main( array $interestingArgumentsList[] ) { // VIOLATION - Formal
        $otherReallyLongName = -5; // VIOLATION - Local
        for ($interestingIntIndex = 0; // VIOLATION - For
             $interestingIntIndex < 10;
             $interestingIntIndex++ ) {
        }
    }
}

Source https://phpmd.org/rules/naming.html#longvariable

LongVariable

Since: 0.2

Detects when a field, formal or local variable is declared with a long name.

Example

class Something {
    protected $reallyLongIntName = -3; // VIOLATION - Field
    public static function main( array $interestingArgumentsList[] ) { // VIOLATION - Formal
        $otherReallyLongName = -5; // VIOLATION - Local
        for ($interestingIntIndex = 0; // VIOLATION - For
             $interestingIntIndex < 10;
             $interestingIntIndex++ ) {
        }
    }
}

Source https://phpmd.org/rules/naming.html#longvariable

ShortVariable

Since: 0.2

Detects when a field, local, or parameter has a very short name.

Example

class Something {
    private $q = 15; // VIOLATION - Field
    public static function main( array $as ) { // VIOLATION - Formal
        $r = 20 + $this->q; // VIOLATION - Local
        for (int $i = 0; $i < 10; $i++) { // Not a Violation (inside FOR)
            $r += $this->q;
        }
    }
}

Source https://phpmd.org/rules/naming.html#shortvariable