Loop-switch sequence (original) (raw)

A loop-switch sequence (also known as the for-case paradigm or Anti-Duff's Device) is a programming antipattern where a clear set of steps is implemented as a switch-within-a-loop. The loop-switch sequence is a specific derivative of spaghetti code. This is not a performance antipattern, though it may lead to an inconsequential performance penalty due to the lack of an unrolled loop. Rather, it is a clarity antipattern, as in any non-trivial example it is much more difficult to decipher the intent and actual function of the code than the more straightforward refactored solution.