CSC207H Standard Course Description

CSC207H Standard Course Description

Software Design

Owner

Karen Reid

reid@cs.toronto.edu

Course Description

An introduction to software design and development concepts, methods, and tools. Core topics: object-oriented design and programming; the role of scripting in the software development process; unit testing; version control; build management.

Background

CSC207's role is to enable students to cope with the challenges they will meet in their upper-year courses, and subsequently in research and industry. The course therefore focuses on basic software engineering practices, and the concepts that underpin the tools used to implement those practices. The course also presents students with larger programming problems than they have previously seen, which both gives them an opportunity to apply the working practices they are being taught, and also demonstrates how those practices can help them.

Prerequisistes

CSC148H/150H
- Basic understanding of programming in Java

Corequisistes

CSC165H/240H/(148H as given before 2003)
- Basic understanding of logic and reasoning

Exclusions

CSC270H
- Served a similar purpose in the old curriculum. Aside from some larger programming assignments, there is not much overlap between the two courses.

Follow-On Courses

CSC209H
- NO REASON KNOWN
CSC263H/265H
- NO REASON KNOWN
CSC324H
- NO REASON KNOWN
CSC310H
- NO REASON KNOWN
CSC318H
- NO REASON KNOWN
CSC336H
- NO REASON KNOWN
CSC350H
- NO REASON KNOWN

Learning Objectives

Improve students' understanding of object-oriented design and programming
- Design as an iterative process
- Begin thinking about usability and user interfaces
- Solidify understanding of encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism
- Types of inheritance (implementation, interface, is-a)
- Reflection
Impart additional programming experience
- Implement larger programs
- Build tools to automate common tasks
- Understand that the programmer is part of a larger process.
- Relate testing and design.
- Introduce students to the practice of measuring their progress.
Introduce students to the professional skills they need to be software engineers.
- Programming style.
- Unit testing and systematic debugging
- Source code management
- Build management
- Code inspections
- Communication skills - The course will require written work and will set a high standard when evaluating it.

Topics (not necessarily in this order)

Introduction (required) (2 hr.)
- course aims
- summary of empirical research (recommended)
- software life-cycle
- key working practices
Object-Oriented Programming (required) (4 hr.)
- encapsulation, polymorphism, and inheritance
- protection
- reflection
- comparison of Java and Python object models
Elements of Programming Style (required) (1 hr.)
- naming and formatting conventions
- exceptions and error handling (optional)
- internal and external documentation (commenting)
- assertions
Object-Oriented Design (required) (4 hr.)
- importance of methodical design
- iterative nature of design
- importance of re-use
- code inspections
- usability (For example, invite a guest to use a student's program to illustrate the issues)
Scripting (required) (5 hr.)
- using scripting languages for rapid prototyping and glue
- introduction to Python (language choice is optional, but Python fits well with Java)
Design Patterns (suggested) (2 hr.)
- design structure beyond ADTs (required)
- definitions and limitations
- simple patterns (iterator, singleton, factory, visitor, command)
- reflection and introspection
Unit Testing and Debugging (required) (4 hr.)
- systematically tracking down bugs
- role and limitations of testing
- types of testing
- test catalogs
- importance of repeatability
- using xUnit (suggested)
- design and implementation of xUnit (optional)
  - also serves as case study in design patterns, reflection, etc.
Version Control (required) (1 hr.)
- role of version control
- use in solo and group projects
- models: locking, updating, and branching
- transactions, atomicity, and rollback
- using CVS (tutorial or lab?)
- differencing(optional)
Build Management (required) (1 hr.)
- role of build management
- importance of repeatability
- declarative programming
- using Make (and makedepend)
- designing and implementing a simple build system (optional - possible assignment)

Suggested Texts

REQUIRED

Program Development in Java (1st edition)
Barbara Liskov and John Guttag, Addison Wesley, 2001

REQUIRED

Notes on object-oriented programming
Mike Godfrey

RECOMMENDED

The Pragmatic Programmer
Andrew Hunt and David Thomas, Addison Wesley, 1999

RECOMMENDED

Code Complete (1st edition)
Steve McConnell, Microsoft Press, 1993

REFERENCE

The Craft of Software Testing
Marick, Prentice Hall, 1997

Technology

Java
A scripting language
Make
CVS

Sample Evaluation

type	weight	description
assignment	5%	Reading and answering questions about a requirements document
assignment	5%	Design document: produced in teams (no programming)
assignment	5%	Code inspection: a code review process also in teams
assignment	10%	Programming: focus on scripting and testing?
assignment	20%	Programming: larger program with the focus on OO design and steps. Not likely in a team programming, probably with several steps. Most likely an individual assignment.
midterm	15%
exam	40%