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Comments on interface and interface-type tags

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interface and interface-type tags

+4
−0

My most recent question was tagged with interface-type.

I had seen the interface tag when I was creating the question, but the usage information says

Please avoid using this tag, as it is too general (e.g. software interfaces like the ones in Java, .NET and C++, components entry points, hardware interfaces).

How does interface-type differ from interface? If there is no meaningful difference, should the two tags be merged? If there is an aspect of interface-type that makes it more usable than interface, we should update the tag description to clarify.

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Yes, I have added that tag.

I tried to create a tag to match the "interface when working with objects" concept. I am not happy with interface-type because it suggests typeof(ISomeInterface), but I think it is less ambiguous than interface.

What about interface-object-type?

I am open to suggestions about better names for this tag.

P.S. SO indeed uses interface tag, but its description includes two very different usage scenarios.

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1 comment thread

Is it even meaningful to have a single tag? (5 comments)
Is it even meaningful to have a single tag?
Lundin‭ wrote almost 2 years ago

Are Java and C# interface common enough to justify using the same tag? Otherwise maybe two tags java-interface and C#-interface would solve the problem. I see no purpose of the tag outside these specific language keywords.

Alexei‭ wrote almost 2 years ago

AFAIK, "interface" is virtually the same thing in C# and Java. Not sure about other languages that seem to use the concept (e.g. ADA - https://www.adaic.org/resources/add_content/standards/05rat/html/Rat-2-4.html ). I guess that multiple languages that do not support multiple inheritance needs the concept or something similar.

Anyway, I think c#-interface and java-interface are better choices than the current options. We can easily define new "interface" tags for other languages, if needed.

r~~‭ wrote almost 2 years ago

Are any of these tags worth it? Who's searching for questions related to interface-the-abstract-concept or interfaces-as-occurring-in-c#, in our community of 589 posts?

Alexei‭ wrote almost 2 years ago

r~~‭ As referenced in my post, the (language agnostic) concept of interface is quite heavily used on SO. It is also an important concept used for most applications developed in C# or Java.

r~~‭ wrote almost 2 years ago

The number 2 is also an important concept used in many software applications but it'd be madness to suggest a tag for it, because who searches for ‘questions related to 2-ness’?

I don't know if SO is doing the right thing and I'm asking under what circumstances would a user (here or there) say, what I need today is a list of all questions having to do with (OOP) interfaces? We have tags for languages because people have interest or expertise in languages; likewise frameworks, design patterns, etc. Who is an ‘interface’ enthusiast?