Building Robust Programs with Defensive Design

Building Robust Programs with Defensive Design

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to design and build robust software programs using defensive design principles.

Introduce the learning objective and explain the importance of defensive design in software development.

What do you already know about software programming and defensive design?

What is Software Programming?

Software programming is the process of designing, writing, testing, and maintaining computer programs.

Define software programming and explain its significance in the world of technology.

Why is Robustness Important?

Robustness is the ability of a program to handle unexpected inputs and situations. It is important because it ensures the program performs as expected and does not crash or produce incorrect results.

Explain the importance of program robustness and provide examples of what can happen when a program is not robust.

Defensive Design Principles

Defensive design is a set of principles and practices that help ensure program robustness. These include input validation, error handling, and defensive coding.

Introduce the principles of defensive design and provide a brief overview of each one.

Input Validation

Input validation is the process of checking user input to ensure that it is valid and meets certain criteria.

Explain the importance of input validation and provide examples of how it can be implemented in a program.

Error Handling

Error handling is the process of dealing with errors that occur during program execution. This includes catching and handling exceptions, logging errors, and providing meaningful error messages to users.

Explain the importance of error handling and provide examples of how it can be implemented in a program.

Defensive Coding

Defensive coding is the practice of writing code that is robust and resilient to unexpected inputs and situations. This includes using defensive programming techniques such as assertions and defensive comments.

Introduce the concept of defensive coding and provide examples of how it can be implemented in a program.

Testing and Debugging

Testing and debugging are important parts of the software development process. Testing involves running a program to identify bugs and errors, while debugging involves finding and fixing those bugs and errors.

Explain the importance of testing and debugging in the software development process and provide examples of testing and debugging techniques.

Code Reviews

Code reviews involve having other developers review your code to identify potential issues and provide feedback. Code reviews can help improve the quality and robustness of a program.

Explain the importance of code reviews and provide examples of how they can be conducted.

Version Control

Version control is the process of tracking changes to a program over time. It allows developers to collaborate on a project and keep track of changes made to the code.

Explain the importance of version control and provide examples of version control tools and techniques.

Secure Coding Practices

Secure coding practices involve writing code that is resistant to security threats such as hacking and malware. This includes using encryption, secure communication protocols, and input validation.

Introduce the concept of secure coding and provide examples of secure coding practices that can be implemented in a program.

Common Programming Languages

There are many programming languages to choose from when developing software. Some common programming languages include Java, Python, C++, and JavaScript.

Provide an overview of some common programming languages and their uses in software development.

Integrated Development Environments (IDEs)

IDEs are software applications that provide tools and features for developing, testing, and debugging programs. Some popular IDEs include Eclipse, Visual Studio, and PyCharm.

Introduce the concept of IDEs and provide examples of popular IDEs that can be used for software development.

Conclusion

Defensive design is an important aspect of software development. By following the principles of defensive design and using appropriate tools and techniques, developers can create robust programs that are resistant to unexpected inputs and situations.

Summarize the key points of the lesson and emphasize the importance of defensive design in software development.

Review Questions

1. What is software programming?
2. What is robustness and why is it important?
3. What are some principles of defensive design?
4. What is the difference between testing and debugging?
5. What is version control and why is it important?

Provide review questions to test the students' understanding of the key concepts covered in the lesson.

Activity: Design a Robust Program

In groups, design a program that incorporates the principles of defensive design. Be prepared to present your program to the class.

Provide instructions for the activity and allow time for students to work in groups.

Activity: Code Review

In pairs, review each other's code and provide feedback on how it could be improved to make it more robust.

Provide instructions for the activity and allow time for students to work in pairs.

Activity: Debugging Challenge

In pairs, identify and fix the bugs in a provided program. The pair that identifies and fixes the most bugs in the fastest time wins.

Provide instructions for the activity and allow time for students to work in pairs.

Additional Resources

1. Code Complete 2 by Steve McConnell
2. Clean Code by Robert C. Martin
3. Defensive Design for the Web by 978-1-491-90812-4

Provide a list of additional resources for students who want to learn more about software programming and defensive design.

References

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_development
2. https://www.techopedia.com/definition/13868/robustness
3. https://www.owasp.org/index.php/Category:Defensive_Coding

Provide a list of references used in the lesson for students who want to learn more about the topics covered.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.