Learning software development is fun and easy, but writing a good program can be a daunting task. In most cases, we find ourselves continually scratching our heads trying to understand the spaghetti code we wrote or making many changes because of a newly added minor feature.
These results can lower our confidence, but in fact, they can be solved with appropriate development practices. Here are ten good habits to invest in writing a cleaner, smarter code with less effort. Let’s start developing these habits now!
Write a friendly code
Always remember that you are not only writing code for machines, but also for your future. It is therefore important to write clear code. In truth, software development is like writing a good poem. The tone must be coherent, the descriptive words and the sentences well structured.
Follow dependable naming resolutions
For case, if you name private variables with the underscore as the first letter, you should follow in the rest of your code.
If you work collaboratively, discuss naming conventions before anyone touches the code.
Descriptive variable/name of the method
The variable and the name of the technique must describe what this code does perfectly. For example, unusual abbreviations as Sort_PT () confusing: what does the PT mean? If you cannot answer it during a second check, optimize the name Sort_PostType () for better understanding.
Indent and jump online
Indentation is magic! With a few simple tab keys, you can disclose the entire code arrangement and edit the code with a clear thought of how it works.
For line breaks, use it when two codes on the same line are running different things. For example, it’s best not to chain CSS properties on one line – it complicates things.
Think about the organization
In addition to the cleaner code, the code structure and organization also help to solve readability issues. It is significant to group your code to allow easy editing (if you need to scroll down several times to find your assigned section, you have to work on the structure)
Also, do not throw away all the code in one script. While it may seem convenient to have more than 8000 lines of code in a single file, debugging is a nightmare when you try to recall method names. Always think of the ease of change.
Planning before coding
It is decisive to know precisely what to do before pressing the first key. In the world of programming, it is essential to design. Writing a fixed triangulation menu is easy, but what if the list needs to be approachable while being able to reduce itself when visitors scroll down the page?
Starting to code without having a clear procedure in mind will often lead to attempts, burnouts and a depression loop.
Write a manageable code
You do not want to change hundreds of variables individually, line by line. It was a humiliating experience, and since then I have learned to write code that requires as few manual changes as possible.
Stop the exaggerated features
As our skills evolve, we tend to develop more complex solutions that meet a wider range of needs. This is a good sign of growth, but beware because you could fall into another trap – exaggerating a feature that is entirely useless for the project.
In development, it is important to remind yourself of the main purpose of the project regularly and to add only features that meet this goal. If you know the strict size of the collection, use Array. If the List function can retrieve data as desired, do not use advanced LINQ.
Learn to debug more intelligently
Where there is code, there are bugs. It’s unmanageable to have a bug-free code solution, so debugging skills are in demand. The old method of trial and error may work, but it is slow. Too slow. Plus, why are you torturing when there are already debuggers developed for you?
Always learn something new
In this area, you can be eliminated fairly quickly. Many developmental approaches and programming languages have even been declared obsolete in the last ten years alone. Even if you graduated from a higher university with a degree in the field does not guarantee that you are always ready for the job.
