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The Seven Deadly Sins of Programming: Avoiding Common Code Quality Pitfalls
Programming is a craft that requires continuous improvement, and even experienced developers make mistakes. So, here let me explore what I consider to be the seven deadly sins of programming, highlighting common pitfalls and offering guidance on how to become a better coder.
1. Neglecting Programming Standards:
One of the most common mistakes is neglecting programming standards. These standards provide rules for aspects like whitespace, file structure, and code consistency. Adhering to these standards makes your code more readable and reliable, especially when collaborating with others. If your team doesn’t have a standard, you can choose from various established ones in the programming community.
2. Embracing Programming Design Principles (SOLID):
Programming design principles are like guiding philosophies for writing better code. The SOLID principles are a set of five fundamental principles:
a. Single Responsibility: Aim to have each module or class handle only one responsibility.
b. Open-Closed: Design modules to allow adding new functionality without modifying existing code.
c. Liskov Substitution: Only extend modules when it still logically fits their original design.
d. Interface Segregation: Split modules into smaller abstractions, composing only the required functionality.
e. Dependency Inversion: Communicate abstractly through interfaces to decouple modules.
3. Leveraging Programming Design Patterns:
Programming design patterns are reusable solutions to common coding problems. They help you architect your software effectively. Three categories of design patterns include:
a. Creational: Creating and controlling object instances.
b. Structural: Organizing and manipulating objects.
c. Behavioral: Defining how code functions and communicates.
4. Creating a Universal Vocabulary:
Naming variables, functions, and classes clearly is crucial for code readability. Avoid unnecessary encodings and expand abbreviations to their full names. Use descriptive names that accurately represent your code’s nuances without being overly verbose. A universal vocabulary of programming helps ensure your code is easily understood.
5. Implementing Testing Strategies:
Testing is often overlooked but is essential for code reliability. Different testing levels include:
a. End-to-End Testing: Simulate user interactions to test the entire system.
b. Unit Testing: Verify module operations in isolation.
c. Integration Testing: Examine interactions between modules.
Applying SOLID principles can make testing easier, as modular and decoupled code is more testable.
6. Managing Time and Estimations:
Estimating the time required for tasks can be challenging. It’s advisable to overestimate to account for unforeseen issues. Effective time management is crucial to avoid missing deadlines and deliver quality work.
7. Prioritizing Quality Over Speed:
While speedy progress is enticing, prioritizing quality over speed is essential for long-term projects. Well-thought-out decisions and architectural choices lead to code that gets easier to maintain over time.
In a conclusion, Programming is a journey of continuous improvement. By avoiding these seven deadly sins and embracing best practices, you can become a better coder. Remember the words of Martin Fowler: “Good programmers write code that humans can understand.”