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Cyclomatic Complexity: Where We Learn To Count

The document discusses cyclomatic complexity, which is a measure of the number of linearly independent paths through the source code of a program. It is defined as the number of edges - number of nodes + 2 * number of connected components. This measure can be used to evaluate modularization options and divide a program's design into modules of equal or near-equal complexity below a certain threshold. Keeping cyclomatic complexity low (below 10) per module reduces errors, eases testing, and improves understandability. Graph theory concepts and counting regions are demonstrated as ways to calculate cyclomatic complexity on code examples.

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147 views

Cyclomatic Complexity: Where We Learn To Count

The document discusses cyclomatic complexity, which is a measure of the number of linearly independent paths through the source code of a program. It is defined as the number of edges - number of nodes + 2 * number of connected components. This measure can be used to evaluate modularization options and divide a program's design into modules of equal or near-equal complexity below a certain threshold. Keeping cyclomatic complexity low (below 10) per module reduces errors, eases testing, and improves understandability. Graph theory concepts and counting regions are demonstrated as ways to calculate cyclomatic complexity on code examples.

Uploaded by

katzumato
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Cyclomatic Complexity

Where we learn to count…

University of Victoria SENG 330: Object-Oriented Software


Department of Computer Science Development
Cyclomatic Complexity: Slide 1
Modularization with Sanity
•  Problem:
–  How can we divide design into modules such that each module
is of equal, or near equal complexity?
–  How can we make sure modules aren’t too complex?
•  Why?
–  Complex modules are prone to error
–  Complex modules require many tests
–  Complex modules are harder to understand and to modify

University of Victoria SENG 330: Object-Oriented Software


Department of Computer Science Development
Cyclomatic Complexity: Slide 2
Modularization with Sanity
•  Solution:
–  Establish a measure of complexity
–  Evaluate options using measure
–  Select option that results in near equal measures for each
module, and less than some threshold
•  Sounds simple, but what is a good measure?
–  How can we be certain that a 5 is more complex than a 4?

University of Victoria SENG 330: Object-Oriented Software


Department of Computer Science Development
Cyclomatic Complexity: Slide 3
Enter…Graph Theory
•  Thomas McCabe (1976):
–  Graph theory offers insight into complexities in graphs
–  CyclomaticNumber v(G) is defined for strongly
connected graphs
–  Strongly connected graph is one where every vertex
is connected to every other vertex

University of Victoria SENG 330: Object-Oriented Software


Department of Computer Science Development
Cyclomatic Complexity: Slide 4
So what is v(G)?
•  V(G) = e –n + p
–  e = edges
–  n = vertices
–  p = connected components
(usually 1)
•  Here
–  e = 9
–  n = 6
–  p = 1
–  v(G) = 4
University of Victoria SENG 330: Object-Oriented Software
Department of Computer Science Development
Cyclomatic Complexity: Slide 5
Cyclomatic Complexity Defined
•  CC = e – n + 2p
•  Corresponds to adding
an edge from end to
beginning
•  Measures # of linearly
independent paths through
source code
•  Here CC = 5
University of Victoria SENG 330: Object-Oriented Software
Department of Computer Science Development
Cyclomatic Complexity: Slide 6
So what are those nodes & edges?

University of Victoria SENG 330: Object-Oriented Software


Department of Computer Science Development
Cyclomatic Complexity: Slide 7
You Try

University of Victoria SENG 330: Object-Oriented Software


Department of Computer Science Development
Cyclomatic Complexity: Slide 8
You Try

University of Victoria SENG 330: Object-Oriented Software


Department of Computer Science Development
Cyclomatic Complexity: Slide 9
You Try

University of Victoria SENG 330: Object-Oriented Software


Department of Computer Science Development
Cyclomatic Complexity: Slide 10
An Alternate Method
•  CC = number of
closed loops + 1
•  Equivalent to
counting the
regions

University of Victoria SENG 330: Object-Oriented Software


Department of Computer Science Development
Cyclomatic Complexity: Slide 11
You Try

University of Victoria SENG 330: Object-Oriented Software


Department of Computer Science Development
Cyclomatic Complexity: Slide 12
So what does it all mean?
•  Magic number is......10

•  Work to keep cyclomatic complexity to 10


or less
–  If it exceeds 10 look for point around where it
equals 10 and try to set up as module

University of Victoria SENG 330: Object-Oriented Software


Department of Computer Science Development
Cyclomatic Complexity: Slide 13
Let’s try some examples

University of Victoria SENG 330: Object-Oriented Software


Department of Computer Science Development
Cyclomatic Complexity: Slide 14
You Try
1 int euclid (int m, int n) {
int r;
2 if (n > m) {
3 r = m;
4 m = n;
5 n = r;
6 }
7 r = m % n;
8 while (r !=0) {
9 m = n;
10 n = r;
11 r = m % n;
12 }
13 return n;
14 }
University of Victoria SENG 330: Object-Oriented Software
Department of Computer Science Development
Cyclomatic Complexity: Slide 15
You Try

University of Victoria SENG 330: Object-Oriented Software


Department of Computer Science Development
Cyclomatic Complexity: Slide 16
Probability of Errors in S/W

University of Victoria SENG 330: Object-Oriented Software


Department of Computer Science Development
Cyclomatic Complexity: Slide 17

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