Question

I’ve a simple Design question and am not really sure about pro´s and con´s. If I have to store data in a – lets say – tree structure. Lets say this tree and corresponding tree is a typed class (hopefully the right term).

Well, lets now say I’ve to store some data in this basic structure. For example an integer, a float and any class member variable.

Is it more logical to

1. store all these values in an own class (containerlike) and use this container class
   as node’s type or
2. to extend this node class, add additional members
   and use one of these values as type?

Its a design question but probably you’ve already made acquaintance with this case.

Thanks a lot!

Answer 1

I would go for option 1.

Using this own class as node’s type through Generics. This would make your tree/node generic for any type of object that you could use as node.

Extending the node class would represent your object as being a node in all its uses which is probably not what you want. Plus you would probably ever use any of the node class’ methods in your own class.