1. What is Cyclomatic Complexity?

Cyclomatic Complexity is a software metric used to indicate the complexity of a program. It is a quantitative measure of the number of linearly independent paths through a program's source code.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Cyclomatic Complexity formula:

Where:

• \( E \) — Number of edges in the control flow graph
• \( N \) — Number of nodes in the control flow graph
• \( CC \) — Cyclomatic Complexity (integer result)

Explanation: The formula calculates the number of independent paths through a program by analyzing its control flow graph.

3. Importance of Cyclomatic Complexity

Details: Cyclomatic Complexity is important for software quality assurance as it helps identify code that may be difficult to test or maintain. Lower values generally indicate simpler, more maintainable code.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the number of edges and nodes from your program's control flow graph. Both values must be non-negative integers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is a good Cyclomatic Complexity value?
A: Generally, 1-10 is simple, 11-20 is moderate, 21-50 is complex, and >50 is too complex and should be refactored.

Q2: How is the control flow graph determined?
A: Nodes represent commands or decision points, edges represent flow between nodes. Each decision point increases complexity.

Q3: Can Cyclomatic Complexity be less than 1?
A: No, the minimum complexity is 1 (for a simple linear program with no branches).

Q4: How does this relate to testing?
A: CC gives the minimum number of test cases needed to achieve branch coverage.

Q5: Are there alternative formulas?
A: Yes, some variations exist, but E - N + 2 is the most widely used formula for CC.