Chapter 8, Problem 18RE

Program Plan Intro

Side effect:

• A side effect of a method is any kind of alteration of data that are observable at outside of a method.
• For example,

//define a method

public void transfer(double amount, BankAccount other)

{

//updating explicit parameter

balance = balance - amount;

// Modifies explicit parameter

other.balance = other.balance + amount;

}

• The above method modifies the explicit variables. This is a side effect of this method.
• Some methods have the side effects like, it modifies the parameter variables. This side effect should be avoided.
• To avoid the side effects, keep most of the methods away from doing input and output tasks. Instead of that keep a method for doing all the input and a method for doing all the output tasks.