idiom

An idiom is a term from software engineering that describes the solution of an implementation problem in a specific programming language. This term is to be separated from the generalized terms such as architecture pattern or design pattern, since idioms mark only patterns of small degree of abstraction.

More clearly this term can be explained from the general view of patterns in software engineering. Here architecture patterns describe the fundamental structure of the organization of a software system. On the next level the design patterns are arranged, which describe proven solution ideas to ever-recurring design problems, and thus the structure and relations of subsystems cover. On lowest level then the Idioms can be arranged. These are software patterns with lowest abstraction degree, and refer to the implementation of a specific solution for a subproblem with the means of a certain programming language. Thus always only certain aspects of the implementation of components are considered.

In connection with the concept of the Idiome is to be referred also to the programming style. This contains the behavior, how for the implementation of solutions individual language constructs, e.g. loops, name conventions, are used. These individual aspects can be separated as Idiome. Thus then again a set of interrelated idioms can be called programming style.

Idioms are used in the following contexts:

• Solution approaches for partial problems e.g. administration and organization of memory, production of certain objects,
• Naming conventions for classes, attributes, constants and methods,
• Formatting of source code for the better readability and maintainability,
• Typical code structures, e.g. minimal class interface and
• Imitation of peculiarities of other programming languages.