With the number of people entering the programming world, many may think that becoming an IT expert is as easy as walking in the park. People assume that coding isn’t a demanding activity. But is it?
Truth be told, it’s way more challenging than many can imagine. Take students, for instance. It takes four (B.A.) to six (B.A. plus M.A.) years to obtain the necessary degree. Having attended programming-related classes for years, they won’t say it is easy to become an IT expert. Quite on the contrary, many are coding homework help.
Of course, that doesn’t mean writing a good code is impossible. It takes time and practice to produce clean and unparalleled code. In this article, we will review what makes a good code. Finally, we will provide tips to compose a better and cleaner code.
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What makes a good code
Without a shade of a doubt, writing clean code is more complex than anyone unrelated to coding can imagine. Novice programmers often think that the most important thing is to write the code. And then it will work somehow. If it doesn’t, it can be fixed easily. Well, it can’t.
If you are good at physics, you must remember the second law of thermodynamics – unless you put more effort into correcting a mistake, it will cause more severe problems. And this law goes hand in hand with coding. Writing perfect code is difficult. Not only does it require a good deal of attention, but you should also have plenty of practice to execute the correct code.
So what exactly is a good code? After all, numerous programming languages exist, and they all require different expertise and knowledge. Right, but regardless of what language you are learning and using, a good code is:
- Easy to understand: Whether you are a student or already working in a company, there will always be someone to review your code. If the number of WTFs is low, the code can be considered clean and easy to understand. If not, and every line requires deep analysis, the code is too complicated and hard to follow.
- Good-looking: No matter what programming language you use, the code must be visually appealing. In other words, nothing unusual should draw attention and evoke wh-
- Readable: Reading a code needs to be tantamount to reading a poem. Whoever reads your code has to be satisfied with its appearance, purpose, and execution.
- Correct: Finally, a good code is a correct code. It has to pass all the tests and be as brief as possible. No one likes lengthy lines, especially if the entire code can be twice shorter.
Writing better code: Tips to become a skillful programmer
Below are several tips to help you write better code. Let’s look at them in a broader scope.
Use proper names
The first thing that you can improve is names. Names are vitally important in coding. They reveal the programmer’s goals and help build a logical chain of actions. Before using names, ensure they are meaningful and pronounceable. What does it mean?
See, many people are used to awkwardly naming their variables. Writing private $genymdhms may say something to you, but it sure doesn’t say anything to others. In fact, you might quickly forget what this combination of words means after a while. A much better way of naming the variable would be private $generationTimestamp.
Also see: How to Open a Snap Without Them Knowing
Employ better functions
The smaller your functions are, the better. There is no need to make them extensive, as they should do only one thing. Also, remember to avoid including too many arguments. Try to narrow them down to two and no more than two units.
Remember about comments
Comments are essential in coding. The comments are critical because they explain the actions and help others–and the author–understand what the code intends to do. Use comments to:
- Warn of consequences, like the script takes time to run
- Stress on crucial points
- Explain intentions more clearly.
Write unit tests
Unit tests help clean the code, so their effectiveness can’t be overestimated. Unit tests can be done with various languages; check how to run tests in the language you use. Such tests will let you determine whether program modules and operating procedures work well.
Things to identify soon and avoid
Clearly, programming has its do’s and don’ts. Upon beginning the journey in the programming world, many people don’t pay enough attention to common mistakes. They often neglect to learn why errors occur and how to ward them off. While committing specific blunders may be justified, the vast majority of mistakes are easy to omit.
The best way to compose better code is to determine what mistakes appear most often and find their root cause. Only by embracing such errors and learning their causality can you move forward and avoid them in the future.
Also See: How InventHelp Makes It Easier to Achieve Your Tech Invention Goals
Moreover, you can go even a step further to perfect your code. Learning from your mistakes isn’t the only way to identify and eschew them. You are also encouraged to get familiar with mistakes you don’t necessarily make but which still occur in programming. For instance, take a look at the following patterns and ensure to stay away from such practices:
- Large classes
- Hard-coding
- Long if conditions
- Several languages in one file
- Overuse of inheritance
- Circular dependency
The Bottom Line
In conclusion, it would be reasonable to emphasize the importance of practice once again. Regular and organized coding is necessary and works wonders, like in any other field. And although it takes time and plenty of effort to bolster your programming prowess, the ultimate result will exceed your expectations.
Aside from the stated tips, try adopting various coding standards. It will help you come up with a polished code and develop a unique approach to different assignments. Coding is a steep learning curve, so remember that and keep drilling. Your hard work will pay off.
