Programmer Musings

Sharp Tools vs. Frameworks

Maybe it's a reflection of when I started programming, but I've always had problems with frameworks. I prefer having a sharp set of tools to having a do everything framework. For me, the framework breaks down if I need to do something that does not match exactly what the framework designers wanted to do.

A good friend of mine, Rick Hoselton, once described this to me as the baloney slicer problem. He pointed out that some tools were absolutely spectacular at one job (say, slicing baloney), but he preferred a really sharp knife. With a sharp knife, you can do a lot of things once you know how to use it safely. You can even slice baloney. The knife is more dangerous, but it's more useful in general.

While I agree that a sharp knife is more generally useful than the baloney slicer, there are times (like when I need to slice 100 pounds of baloney) when the baloney slicer is the right tool for the job. My biggest problem with frameworks and some libraries is the combination of the framework and the Golden Hammer syndrome. This tends to cause the designers to adapt the framework outside the area it was designed for. Usually, it starts with a little change and moves on to some really monstrous results.

To stretch Rick's analogy a little further, I need to slice some ham. I am pointed to a feature of the framework that is kind of a combination cheese grater/wood chipper/jackhammer. (This is obviously the right piece of the framework because it cuts something, duh!) Now what comes out of this device is not really a slice, but that okay because we have some mostly edible processed food stuff that can be used to glue the pieces back into a slice-like mass. Obviously, this is much better than the knife, because it is part of the framework and it can reduce 100 hams into something resembling slices in a few minutes.

Obviously, I'm exaggerating to get the point across. However, I am surprised how often I run into this problem when using frameworks or extensive libraries. Sometimes, we're told that the framework is how we do things around here. Or, maybe we just don't want to re-invent the wheel. I suspect part of the issue is that the people who built the framework are just trying to show that their work is useful.

Unfortunately, they have lost track of the simple fact that a tool optimized for solving one problem will not be as effective for solving others. This is not a condemnation of the tool, its just a fact of life. As you optimize a tool, you automatically limit its scope. After all, optimal tools have a narrow focus, that's what makes them efficient. When you try to use an optimized tool for something it wasn't designed for, you lose all its advantages.

While frameworks have their place, they are not the solution to every problem. Don't forget that small, sharp tools are very important as well.