.. index:: single: cogc_metric .. _cogc_metric/0:

.. rst-class:: right

object

cogc_metric

Cognitive complexity metric (approximation). For each non-auxiliary predicate, the score contribution is the number of extra clauses (i.e. number of clauses minus one, for multi-clause branching) plus one if the predicate is directly recursive. The entity score is the sum of all predicate contributions. Protocols are not scored as they cannot define predicates.

| Availability: | logtalk_load(code_metrics(loader))

| Author: Paulo Moura | Version: 1:0:0 | Date: 2026-03-14

| Compilation flags: | static, context_switching_calls

| Imports: | public :ref:`code_metrics_utilities <code_metrics_utilities/0>` | public :ref:`code_metric <code_metric/0>` | Provides: | :ref:`logtalk::message_tokens//2 <logtalk/0::message_tokens//2>` | Uses: | :ref:`list <list/0>` | :ref:`logtalk <logtalk/0>` | :ref:`numberlist <numberlist/0>`

| Remarks:

• Limitations: The reflection API does not expose control constructs such as cuts, conditionals, or disjunctions. This metric approximates cognitive complexity using only clause-level branching and direct recursion.
• Branching: A predicate with N clauses contributes N-1 to the score, representing the N-1 extra choices a reader must track.
• Recursion: A predicate that directly calls itself (within the same entity) contributes an additional 1 to the score.
• Score interpretation: The score is represented by a non-negative integer. Higher scores indicate predicates or entities that are harder to understand due to more branching choices or self-recursion. A score of 0 means all predicates are single-clause and non-recursive.
• Aggregation: File, directory, and library scores are computed by summing the individual entity scores.

| Inherited public predicates: |  :ref:code_metric/0::all/0  :ref:code_metric/0::all/1  :ref:code_metric/0::all_score/1  :ref:options_protocol/0::check_option/1  :ref:options_protocol/0::check_options/1  :ref:options_protocol/0::default_option/1  :ref:options_protocol/0::default_options/1  :ref:code_metric/0::directory/1  :ref:code_metric/0::directory/2  :ref:code_metric/0::directory_score/2  :ref:code_metric/0::entity/1  :ref:code_metric/0::entity_score/2  :ref:code_metric/0::file/1  :ref:code_metric/0::file/2  :ref:code_metric/0::file_score/2  :ref:code_metric/0::format_entity_score//2  :ref:code_metric/0::library/1  :ref:code_metric/0::library/2  :ref:code_metric/0::library_score/2  :ref:options_protocol/0::option/2  :ref:options_protocol/0::option/3  :ref:code_metric/0::rdirectory/1  :ref:code_metric/0::rdirectory/2  :ref:code_metric/0::rdirectory_score/2  :ref:code_metric/0::rlibrary/1  :ref:code_metric/0::rlibrary/2  :ref:code_metric/0::rlibrary_score/2  :ref:options_protocol/0::valid_option/1  :ref:options_protocol/0::valid_options/1  

.. contents:: :local: :backlinks: top

Public predicates

(no local declarations; see entity ancestors if any)

Protected predicates

(no local declarations; see entity ancestors if any)

Private predicates

(no local declarations; see entity ancestors if any)

Operators

(none)