What are they? Are these terminologies different? What is the difference in this terminology?
It’s not a crime if you don’t have answers. These terminologies are often confusing, especially for newbies and even some senior engineers find it difficult to explain their differences.
This article was originally published in Tech Wrap Weekly newsletter
In software engineering, ‘library’, ‘framework’, ‘package’, and ‘module’ are constantly used to describe reusable code in the software. However, these terms can be used differently in different scenarios depending on the context in which they are being used.
In this article, I will demystify the subtle difference between a library, a framework, a package, and a module.
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Module
A single file or collection of files that encapsulate related code.
A module Is the smallest piece of software. It is a collection of methods and software that are ready to be reused somewhere else.
Modules are generally used to organize code into manageable, reusable pieces, into files, or a collection of files, promoting modularity and separation of concerns.
Example:
JavaScript: A single file that exports functions or classes using export and import statements.
Python: A .py file that defines functions, classes, and variables.
Package
Packages are simply a collection of related modules (it could also include multiple related files and resources)
Example:
JavaScript: An npm package like Axios, which is a promise-based HTTP client.
Python: A pip package like Requests, which is used for making HTTP requests.
Library
A library is a collection of related functionalities that you can use to perform specific tasks by calling its functions or methods. When you want to enhance your code with additional capabilities, you utilize a library.
Example:
JavaScript: Lodash is a popular utility library that provides various helper functions.
Python: NumPy is a library for numerical computations.
Framework
A framework is a collection of libraries, for developing a specific type of applications
They define the overall structure and flow of your application, making it easier to develop complex systems.
Example:
JavaScript: React (for building user interfaces) and Express (for building web servers).
Python: Django (for web development).
In Conclusion
Commonly, these terms are used interchangeably to refer to each other.
TLDR
Modules are the basic building blocks.
Libraries are collections of modules.
Packages are distribution units that can include libraries and modules.
Frameworks are comprehensive systems that include packages, libraries, and modules, along with additional tools and guidelines for application development.
Each concept builds upon the previous one, with frameworks being the most comprehensive and modules being the most granular.
The definitions of these terms can overlap or change depending on the programming language and context being used.
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