5 tips for writing clean and maintainable code

Every time you hire a developer, they should strive to create code that is easy to read, modify, and debug. Why? Because it simplifies things in the long run. Clean code, however, goes beyond just adhering to a set of best practices. It is something that needs to be executed concisely from the early stages of the development process.

1. Follow a consistent coding style

Following a consistent coding style is one of the key elements of writing clean code. A coding style is a set of guidelines for how code should be formatted and structured. Following a consistent coding style can make your code more readable and easier to understand. Using descriptive and meaningful variable and function names that accurately convey their purpose is also essential.

Part of coding styles is using spacing and indentation . When code is formatted consistently, it is easier to understand. Try to stick to a single wrapper format. Avoid mixing snake_case and camelCase as it will be confusing and difficult to follow in the long run.

Consistent architecture is also an important consideration. Before you start writing, define the architectural principles that will guide the development of your codebase. These principles describe the critical aspects of your application's architecture, such as modularity, scalability, maintainability, and testability.

Finally, use automated tools like linters and code formatters to enforce coding style guidelines. These tools can help detect problems and ensure that code follows established guidelines.

2. Keep functions and classes small and focused

Keeping your functions and classes small and focused makes them easier to understand, test, and modify. If a function or class becomes too large or complex, it's usually a good sign that you may need to refactor it into smaller, more focused components.

In general, a function should do one thing and do it well. It should not have both lower-level and higher-level details. If another function can be extracted from a function, it will do more than one thing. We should extract functions to achieve the same level of abstraction.

3. Write modular and reusable code

You can reuse code in other parts of the application or entirely in other applications, so it's always a good idea to keep modularity in mind when coding. This can reduce code duplication and make it more maintainable over time.

To make your code modular, break it into smaller, reusable functions that perform specific tasks. Not only does this make maintenance easier, but it is also simpler to reuse later in the project. Encapsulate functions and related data into classes or modules that can be reused throughout the project.

Avoid tight coupling between components of your codebase. Instead, use interfaces or abstract classes to decouple components and make them more reusable. Write independent code that doesn't rely on external dependencies or global variables. This makes your code easier to test and reuse later. Using Dependency Injection in your code, instead of hard-coding them, makes it more flexible and easier to maintain.

4. Use comments and documentation effectively

Comments and documentation are essential to making your code more maintainable over time. Comments should be used sparingly and only when necessary to explain complex or obscure code. On the other hand, documentation must be comprehensive and provide clear instructions on using and maintaining the codebase.

There are nine best practices when using comments in code:

1. Comments must not duplicate code.
2. Good comments do not excuse unclear code.
3. If you can't write a clear comment, your code may have problems.
4. Comments should dispel confusion, not cause it.
5. Explain the unilingual code in the comments.
6. Provide links to the original source of the copied code.
7. Include links to external references where they are most useful.
8. Add comments when fixing bugs.
9. Use comments to mark incomplete implementations.

Always try to include examples in the documentation to illustrate how the code works and how it should be used. This helps other developers understand the code more quickly and easily. It's crucial to keep documentation up to date as the codebase evolves to remain relevant and accurate.

5. Test your code rigorously

Continuously testing your code rigorously ensures that it is clean, maintainable, and bug-free. Test-driven development (TDD) is a popular approach that involves writing tests before writing actual code, which can help ensure that your code is testable, modular, and maintainable.

To apply TDD, follow these steps:

1. Create accurate tests : Create accurate unit tests to verify that it compiles, can run, and the functionality of specific features.
2. Fixing the Code : When a test fails, make the minimum changes necessary to update the code so that it runs successfully when run again.
3. Refactor the code : After the test runs successfully, check for redundancy or possible code optimizations to improve overall performance.

But there are more things developers can do to ensure the good functionality of a project. Before you start writing any code, make sure you write a set of comprehensive test cases. Utilize automated testing tools such as unit testing frameworks, but remember that manual testing is still an essential part of the process. When you encounter a bug or error, make sure you debug it effectively. Documenting your tests can help you keep track of the tests you run and ensure you cover all possible scenarios.

Conclusion

Writing code doesn't have to be complicated. By following these five tips, you can write cleaner, more maintainable code that's easier to read, modify, and debug. Additionally, the time you spend applying these tips is considerably less than you would spend trying to understand a chaotic codebase, so consider this a smart investment. Additionally, it can improve the overall quality and reliability of your software and make it easier to maintain and evolve over time.