rcCodes <> Translation dictionaries

[Ulrond]

Pros of using enums with optional translation dictionaries:

• Centralized Code Management: Enums provide a single source of truth for your rcCodes, improving code readability and maintainability.
• Platform Independence: By using translation dictionaries, you decouple the core rcCodes (enums) from platform-specific values, making your code more portable.
• Type Safety: Enums offer type safety, reducing the risk of errors caused by typos or invalid codes.
• Testability: This approach enables platform-independent testing since you can test the core logic with the enums and then verify platform-specific translations separately.
• Maintainability: If a code changes in the future, you only need to update the enum and the corresponding translation dictionaries.

Cons of using enums with optional translation dictionaries:

• Potential Overhead: While usually minimal, there is a slight overhead associated with looking up values in the translation dictionary.
• Increased Complexity: Introducing translation dictionaries adds a layer of complexity compared to a simpler, direct mapping of codes.

Allowing String Input:

Allowing string input for rcCodes, essentially bypassing the enum and using the translation dictionary directly, has the following implications:

Pros:

• Flexibility: Provides more flexibility in handling diverse code formats or integrating with external systems.

Cons:

• Loss of Type Safety: You lose the type safety provided by enums, increasing the risk of errors due to typos or invalid code strings.
• Decentralized Code Management: Without the enum, you lose the single source of truth for your rcCodes, potentially leading to inconsistencies and making it harder to track all possible codes.
• Platform-Dependent Tests: Testing becomes more challenging as you might need to run tests on specific platforms to ensure the correct string-to-code mapping.
• Potential for Errors: It becomes easier to introduce errors by misspelling or inventing dictionary keys, and you lose the ability to easily check for unsupported codes on a specific platform.