Komponentenzusammenhängen

Komponentenzusammenhängen, a German term, translates to "component cohesion" in English and is a fundamental concept in software engineering. It refers to the degree to which elements within a single module or component belong together and work together to perform a single, well-defined task. High cohesion is a desirable attribute for software design, as it leads to more understandable, maintainable, and reusable code.

When a component exhibits high cohesion, its internal elements (functions, variables, data structures) are tightly related and focused on a specific responsibility. This means that if you need to understand or modify a particular piece of functionality, you can find all the relevant code within that single component. Conversely, low cohesion occurs when a component contains elements that are unrelated or only loosely connected. Such components are often difficult to understand, as their purpose is unclear, and changes to one part might have unintended consequences in seemingly unrelated areas.

Several types of cohesion exist, including functional, sequential, communicational, procedural, temporal, logical, and coincidental cohesion. Functional cohesion is considered the strongest and most desirable, where all elements contribute to a single, well-defined function. Coincidental cohesion, the weakest, occurs when elements are grouped together arbitrarily with no discernible relationship. Striving for high cohesion, particularly functional cohesion, is a key principle in achieving good software architecture.