GPR-012 — Avoidance of Gratuitous Reuse

Go to Annex C: Requirements

The Submission SHOULD avoid reusing a specification when that reuse introduces unnecessary functionality, constraints, or dependencies.

Recommended

Reuse can reduce duplication and improve interoperability, but reuse is not beneficial when a specification introduces capabilities, constraints, implementation assumptions, or dependencies unrelated to the architectural need.

Avoiding gratuitous reuse keeps the proposed specification focused, reduces implementation and conformance complexity, and prevents unrelated external requirements from becoming implicit obligations.

A Submission addressing this recommendation demonstrates that:

1. Each reused specification supports an identified requirement or required capability
2. Functionality introduced through reuse is relevant to the proposed specification
3. Constraints introduced through reuse are necessary or justified
4. Normative and transitive dependencies are identified
5. Alternatives with fewer unnecessary dependencies are considered
6. Reuse does not introduce unrelated implementation technologies
7. Reuse does not expand the conformance scope without an identified need
8. Deviations from this recommendation include a documented reason
9. Effects of any unnecessary functionality or constraints are described

This is a recommended requirement. A Submitter may depart from a `SHOULD` provision when a valid reason exists, but the Submission should document that reason and describe the resulting effects.

GPR-007 encourages reuse by requiring applicable existing standards to be used instead of defining equivalent new models. GPR-012 prevents that principle from being interpreted as a reason to reuse specifications that introduce unnecessary functionality, constraints, or dependencies.

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