Essential complexity: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 13:20, 2 September 2011

Revision as of 16:07, 1 May 2012

Line 1:

'''Essential complexity''' refers to a situation where all reasonable solutions to a problem must be complicated (and possibly confusing) because the "simple" solutions would not adequately solve the problem. It stands in contrast to [[accidental complexity]], which arises purely from mismatches in the particular choice of tools and methods applied in the solution.

This term has been used since, at least, the mid-1980s. [[Turing Award]] winner [[Fred Brooks]] has used this term and its antonym of [[accidental complexity]] since the mid-1980s. He has also updated his views in 1995 for an anniversary edition of ''Mythical Man-Month,'' chapter 17 "'[[No Silver Bullet]]' Refired".<ref name="Brooks, Proc. IFIP" >[[#Brooks, Proc. IFIP|Brooks, Proc. IFIP]]</ref><ref>Brooks, IEEE Computer</ref><ref>Brooks, Mythical Man-Month, Silver Bullet Refired</ref>

== Cyclomatic complexity ==