First think about designing the behavior of a system, and only then thinking about designing the mechanism — the system’s internal structure.
State machines are a powerful tool for designing software that is both efficient and user-friendly. By breaking down complex processes into smaller, more manageable states, state machines can simplify user interfaces, improve the user experience, and reduce bugs and errors.
What is state machine?
A state machine is a mathematical model that describes the behavior of a system. It consists of a set of states, transitions between those states, and actions that occur when those transitions happen.
In software design, state machines are used to model the behavior of a user interface.
States, transitions, actions
Start by identifying the different states that your user interface can be in.
For example, a state machine might describe the different states of a login screen, such as “logged out,” “logging in,” and “logged in.”
Next, define the transitions between those states.
For example, the transition from “logged out” to “logging in” might occur when the user clicks the “login” button.
Finally, define the actions that occur when transitions happen.
For example, when the user transitions from “logged out” to “logging in,” you might display a loading spinner and make an API call to authenticate the user.
Why state machine?
It can greatly simplify your logic. If you’re dealing with a set of complex rules that determine which action to take next, state machines can help you break those rules down into discrete states and transitions.
A graphical user interface (GUI) can be modeled using a state machine with multiple states and transitions between them. Each state represents a particular screen or view in the application, and transitions occur based on user input and system events.