Question

For example, suppose I this:

class Gundam00 extends Gundam implements MobileSuit {
    ...

    public void fight(final List<MobileSuit> mobiruSuitso, final List<Gundam> theOtherDudes, final List<Person> casualities) {
        ....
    }
}

Suppose theOtherDudes and casualities parameters are optional. How can I make this method as clean as possible? I thought about having booleans indicating if they’re null, and then checking them as needed.

I could also have different versions of the method for each combination of parameters but there would be a lot of code duplication I think.

Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Add the methods. Overloading methods is generally an antipattern and a refactoring opportunity for someone else.

http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/2007/03/curlys-law-do-one-thing.html