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Object-Oriented Programming is Bad

Brian Will · commentary · Watch on YouTube

Software architecture & designProgramming language design

What it is

Brian Will makes the case for procedural programming over object-oriented programming, arguing that OOP's promised encapsulation and decoupling are largely illusory. He analyzes real code examples and the problems of tying data to behavior in classes.

Why Hacker News recommends it

HN returns to it as the go-to critique of OOP, recommended for explaining the costs of abstraction better than most written arguments.

  • 13 people recommended it
  • 9 different months
  • 2 strong recommendations
  • first 2016, last 2025

What HN commenters said

  1. “I highly recommend this video by Brian Will who does a much better job explaining this problem than I could.”

    Explains problems with encapsulating data and behavior in classes.

    ryanmarsh, 2017-11 · Strong recommendation · in “When I use classes, when I don’t, what I do instead and why”

  2. “Brian's other (not controversial) videos (dozens) are excellent for learning about programming.”

    Argues design-pattern books are not worth years of effort; Brian's videos excellent.

    jmulho, 2019-12 · Strong recommendation · in “Ask HN: Books you plan to read in 2020?”

  3. “honestly, it rings too close to my experience. Need to think about this a bit more deeply!”

    Resonates with commenter's experience of OOP's problems.

    thunderbong, 2016-03 · Recommendation · in “Object-Oriented Programming is Garbage: 3800 SLOC example [video]”

  4. “I liked Rich Hickeys talk "Simple made Easy" [1] and "Brian Will: Why OOP is Bad" [2]”

    Supports view that OOP magnifies design problems.

    NegatioN, 2017-03 · Recommendation · in “How we secretly introduced Haskell and got away with it”

  5. “One of the video that can articulate the whole thing better than me is”

    Articulates the case against OOP well.

    hackits, 2017-03 · Recommendation · in “Principles for C programming”

  6. “The blog post and related youtube videos are pretty interesting as well[2][3][4].”

    Pretty interesting videos on state in OOP.

    lazulicurio, 2019-10 · Recommendation · in “Why Isn't Functional Programming the Norm? [video]”

  7. “Take a look at the following video”

    Criticism of OOP that applies to design patterns.

    crimsonalucard, 2019-12 · Recommendation · in “Ask HN: Books you plan to read in 2020?”

  8. “It's both thoughtful and thought-provoking, although I don't agree with the conclusion.”

    Thoughtful and thought-provoking video essay on OOP.

    cxr, 2020-06 · Recommendation · in “Design Principles Behind Smalltalk (1981)”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: oop, procedural programming, encapsulation, software design, brian will

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