Writing clean code is not an easy task. It takes different techniques and a lot of practice. Writing clean code is a constant goal of developers.

Benefits of writing clean code

  • Projects are easier to start and continue
  • Suitable for new team members to join the project team
  • Easier to understand

Essentials of writing clean code

  • The code is more readable
  • Use more meaningful names for variables, functions, and methods
  • Make each function or method perform only one task
  • Use comments to explain (important)
  • Maintain consistency
  • Review your code regularly

Benefits of writing clean code

Let’s start by looking at some of the benefits of writing clean code. One of the main benefits is that clean code helps minimize the time it takes to read and try to understand the code. Messy code slows down any developer and makes it difficult to do his or her job. The messier the code, the more time developers need to understand it. Also, if the code is too messy, developers may wonder whether to refactor.

1. Projects are easier to start and continue let me demonstrate this in a simple example. Let’s say we go back to a project we were working on after a long time. Now, let’s imagine that back then, instead of writing the cleanest code, we did the opposite. After the first look, we saw how bad and messy the code was. And we’ve seen how difficult it is to pick up where we left off. As a result, we now have to spend more time on the project because we need to understand the code we wrote earlier. This is absolutely unnecessary. We can avoid it entirely by writing clean code in the first place. Now, we have to pay. Also, our old code was so messy or bad that we might decide to start from scratch. Our clients may not be happy with this news. Clean code, on the other hand, usually doesn’t have this problem. Imagine the previous example, where the conditions were reversed. Now, our previous code was clean and elegant. How long does it take to understand? Maybe we need to read the code for a few minutes to understand how everything works. Finally, we’ve been writing it for a while. However, this investment will be significantly smaller than in the first case. Our customers won’t even notice it. This is the first benefit of coding and is consistent with the techniques we will discuss. And this applies not only to our own projects, but also to the work of other developers. Clean code allows us to get started faster. We don’t need to spend hours studying it, or anyone else. Instead, we can just get to work.

2. Another benefit of writing clean code that makes it easier for new team members to come on board is closely related to the first. It allows for easier and faster adoption. I mean this. Let’s imagine that we need to hire another developer. How long does it take her to understand the code and learn how to use it? It depends. If our code is messy and poorly written, she will need more time to finish it. On the other hand, if our code is clean, easy to read, easy to understand, and simple, she’ll be able to get started faster.

Some people might argue that this is not a problem because we are there and we can help her. And it’s true. However, our help should only take a short time, a day or two or three. But, it shouldn’t be a week or two or three. In the end, we decided to hire another developer to speed up our work rather than slow it down. Our goal is to kill more time by helping her learn to use our code.

When we work hard and write clean code, it’s easier for others to follow it and use it. Of course, we still need to set aside some time to help each new developer get to know and understand our code. But we are talking days, not weeks. In addition, clean code will help us bring more developers to the team and help them understand our code immediately. In short, the clearer the code, the easier it is to interpret and the less likely it is to be misunderstood.

We need to remember one thing. Knowing and learning how to use code is one thing. But this is just the beginning. We also need to ensure that developers are able and willing to follow our coding practices. Again, using clean code is easier to implement than messy. This is important because not only do we write clean code, but we keep it that way, no matter how many people use it. We need to think long term.

One last thing has to do with this. What if one of our developers decides not to follow current coding practices? This problem can usually be solved. Let’s say we have a group of people working on the same code base, and one person starts to deviate from the standard style. Then one of these three things will happen. First, the rest of the team will push a developer to follow the standards. She’ll take it because she doesn’t want to leave.

The second option is that the developer actually persuades the rest of the team to adopt and follow her coding practices. It can be a good thing if developers come up with clearer coding practices that lead to better results. Writing and keeping our code clean doesn’t mean we should ignore any opportunities to improve it. Quite the opposite. I think we should always question our current practices and look for those opportunities for improvement.

So if a developer deviates from what we do, and what she does is better, it might be better if we make the change instead of her. I think we should never ignore what someone has done before we check and try. There is always room for improvement and we should keep looking for it. Finally, there is a third option. The developer will decide neither to do what we do nor to convince us to do what she does. Instead, she will probably leave the team.

Tips for writing clean code

1. Make code readable to people It is true that the code we write will be interpreted by machines. However, that doesn’t mean we should ignore readability and understandability. There’s always a chance that someone else will touch our code, or have to use it. Even if we make our code inaccessible to others, we may want to return to it in the future. For this reason, it is in our own interest to write code in a way that is easy to understand. How’s that？

The easiest way to do this is to use Spaces. We can shrink our code before shipping. However, there is no need to write code that looks like miniaturization. Instead, we can use indentation, newlines, and blank lines to make the code structure more readable. When we decide to embrace this practice, the readability and understandability of our code can be dramatically improved. Then, looking at our code alone is enough to understand it. Let’s look at two simple examples.

// bad habit const userData=[{userId: 1, userName:'Anthony Johnson', memberSince: '08-01-2017', fluentIn: [ 'English'.'Greek'.'Russian']},{userId: 2, userName: 'Alice Stevens', memberSince: '02-11-2016', fluentIn: [ 'English'.'French'.'German']},{userId: 3, userName: 'Bradley Stark', memberSince: '29-08-2013', fluentIn: [ 'Czech'.'English'.'Polish']},{userId: 4, userName: 'Hirohiro Matumoto', memberSince: '08-05-2015', fluentIn: [ 'Chinese'.'English'.'German'.'Japanese']}]; // good practice const userData = [{userId: 1, userName:'Anthony Johnson',
    memberSince: '08-01-2017',
    fluentIn: [
      'English'.'Greek'.'Russian'
    ]
  }, {
    userId: 2,
    userName: 'Alice Stevens',
    memberSince: '02-11-2016',
    fluentIn: [
      'English'.'French'.'German'
    ]
  }, {
    userId: 3,
    userName: 'Bradley Stark',
    memberSince: '29-08-2013',
    fluentIn: [
      'Czech'.'English'.'Polish'
    ]
  }, {
    userId: 4,
    userName: 'Hirohiro Matumoto',
    memberSince: '08-05-2015',
    fluentIn: [
      'Chinese'.'English'.'German'.'Japanese']}];Copy the code

2. Use meaningful names for variables, functions, and methods what does meaningful mean? Meaningful names are names that are descriptive enough that others, not just us, will be able to understand the purpose of a variable, function, or method. In other words, the name itself should suggest what the variable, function, or method is used for, or what it contains.

// Bad
const fnm = ‘Tom’;
const lnm = ‘Hanks’
const x = 31;
const l = lstnm.length;
const boo = false;
const curr = true; Const SFN = 'Remember the name'; Const DBL = [' 1984 ', '1987', '1989', '1991'). The map ((I) = > {return i * 2;
});

// Better
const firstName = ‘Tom’;
const lastName = ‘Hanks’
const age = 31;
const lastNameLength = lastName.length;
const isComplete = false;
const isCurrentlyActive = true; Const songFileName = 'Remember the name'; Const yearsDoubled = [' 1984 ', '1987', '1989', '1991'). The map (= > {(year)return year * 2;
});
Copy the code

However, we should keep a few things in mind. Using descriptive names does not mean we are free to use as many characters as possible. A good rule of thumb is to limit names to three or four words. If we need to use more than four words, maybe we’re trying to do too many things at once, and we should simplify our code. So, let’s just use the necessary characters.

When I started coding, I used to write functions and methods that almost looked like a Swiss Army knife. They can handle and do almost anything. One consequence is that it is often difficult to find a good name. Second, almost no one but me knows what this or that feature does and how to use it. Well, sometimes I even have problems. So, I had to write instructions. Third, these features are sometimes unpredictable. I made a mess.

Then, someone came up with this great suggestion. Make each function or method perform only one task. This simple tip changed everything and helped me write clean code, at least cleaner than before. From that moment on, other people were able to understand my code. Or, they don’t need as much time as they did before. My functions and methods became predictable. With the same input, they always produce the same output. Also, naming has become easier.

If you have trouble finding descriptive names for functions and methods, or if you need to write lengthy instructions so that others can use them, consider implementing this practice. Make each function or method perform only one task. You can do this if your features and methods seem to work like a Swiss Army knife. Trust me, this versatility is not an advantage. This is quite a negative factor and can start to backfire at any time.

There is a joke that says one of the most annoying things developers can do is write comments themselves and others don’t. It doesn’t matter how hard we try to come up with meaningful names for our variables, functions, and methods. Our code itself is still not as clean and easy to understand as it could be. There are still some lines that require further explanation. The problem may not be that they are difficult to understand or use. Conversely, why we implement this or that feature or method or why we create it a particular way may not make sense. Meaning, history is not clear.

Sometimes we may have to use fairly unconventional methods to solve problems because nothing else works, or we don’t have enough time to come up with better solutions. This can be difficult to explain in code. Using comments through our code can help us solve this problem. Reviews can help us explain to others why we write what we write and why we write it the way we write it. As a result, no one else has to guess.

More importantly, when we explain why, someone else may find a better way to solve the problem and improve the code. This is possible because they know what the problem is and what the desired outcome is. Without this information, it is harder for others to create better solutions. Or, they may not even try because they don’t think they need it. They can think that’s our intention.

So whenever we find ourselves in a situation where we decide to use some kind of hack, quick fix or unconventional method, let’s use comments to explain why we do what we do. It’s better to use one or two lines of explanatory comment rather than forcing people to guess.

That being said, we should only use comments when necessary, not to explain bad code. Writing endless comment lines doesn’t help us turn poorly written code into clean code. If the code is bad, we should fix the problem by improving the code, not by adding instructions on how to use it. Clearing code takes precedence over using shortcuts.

5. Be consistent When we find a particular coding practice or style we like, we should stick with it and use it everywhere. It is not a good idea to use different coding practices or styles for different projects. It is almost as useful and useful as not using any coding practices or styles. Going back to our old code will not be as smooth and natural as it might be. We still need some time to understand the coding practice we are using in this project before we can use it.

Your best bet is to choose a set of coding practices and stick to them for all your projects. Then it will be easier to go back to our old code and continue with our interrupt or improvement on it. How was the experiment? Trying out new coding practices is a good thing. It can help us find better ways to do our work. However, it is better to experiment with different practices on different experimental projects or exercises rather than our main project.

In addition, when we decide to do some experiments, we should try this practice several times and try multiple examples. We should take the time to do the experiment thoroughly. We should only do it if we are sure we like it and we are happy with it. And, when we decide to do so, it is best to implement our new practices globally across all our projects. Yes, it will take time, but it will force us to consider change properly.

6. Check your Code regularly This is my final tip for clean code. Simply writing clean code isn’t everything. Our work is not done with a semicolon at the end. The next step is to keep our code clean. Cleaning code needs to be maintained. When we write something, we should check it regularly, clean it up and try to improve it. Otherwise, if we don’t review and update our old code, it will soon become obsolete. Just like our equipment. If we want to keep them in top shape, we need to update them regularly.

This is especially true for the code we use every day. Code gets more complex and messy over time, not simpler and cleaner. It is our responsibility to prevent this from happening and to keep our code clean. The only way to achieve this is to review our code regularly. In other words, we need to maintain it. This may not be necessary for projects that we no longer care about or have no future. For others, maintenance is part of our job.

Ideas for writing clean code

We are at the end of this article. The six practices we are discussing today may not be the ones with the most impact or impact. However, they are the ones most frequently mentioned by experienced developers. That’s why I chose them. I hope these practices or tips are enough to get you started writing clean code. Now, as with all things, the most important thing is to start. So choose at least one and give it a try.

Thank you very much for your time. Have a nice day!