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<overview>

<p>This metric measures the number of files that a particular file depends on. A file depends on another file if:</p>

<ul>

<li>It calls a function in that file</li>

<li>It reads or writes a variable declared in that file</li>

<li>It uses a type declared in that file</li>

</ul>

<p>The number of other files that a source-file depends on is a way of judging

how cohesive it is. A source-file with a single well-defined purpose is likely

to have fewer dependencies than a source-file where functions have been "thrown in"

over time. The former is desirable, because files with a single well-defined

purpose are more easily comprehended and maintained.</p>

</overview>

<recommendation>

<p>Consider, breaking the file up into smaller ones. This could either be done by splitting up unrelated functionality, or extracting common operations into a library.</p>

</recommendation>

<references>

<li>

M. Fowler. <em>Refactoring</em>. Addison-Wesley, 1999.

</li>

<li>

<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_refactoring">Wikipedia: Code refactoring</a>

</li>

<li>

<a href="http://www.jot.fm/issues/issue_2005_01/column1/">Refactoring as Meta Programming?</a>

</li>

</references>

</qhelp>