Information Hiding

Kind: principle

Layer: Structural Core

Record: architecture:information-hiding

Severity: mandatory

Scope: class, module, package

Canonical: Ontology

A design rule that a module exposes an interface and keeps the implementation decisions behind it private.

Listed in Architecture principles, after Encapsulation and before Abstraction.

Requires

• Encapsulation
• Explicit Interfaces

Reinforces

• Low Coupling
• Replaceability

Enables

• Internal Refactoring

Conflicts with

• Leaky Abstraction

In tension with

• Observability

Tensions

• Information Hiding / Observability

Violated by

• Leaky Abstraction
• Exposed Internals

Refactored by

• Facade Pattern
• Restrict Exports

Severity

• mandatory

Category

• Core Modular Design

Reinforced by

• Memento Pattern

Linked from

• The direction axis
• Core Modular Design
• Observability / Auditability / Traceability
• Behavioral Patterns
• Structural Patterns
• Core Modular Design
• Severity levels
• The resolutions