Why Some Devs Hate Code Comments (But You Might Not)

Confused by the code comment hate? It’s simple, really: there are 5 ways to document code, and devs have different preferences. Here’s why it’s ok to hate code comments — but also why it’s ok to write tons of useful code comments, like I do.

I donut know what I’d do without you, code comments! Actually, I do… I’d use another of the 5 types of documentation! 🍩Shamblen Studios for Unsplash+; used with permission (Unsplash+ license)

Once upon a time, I walked out of a Karat code interview because the evaluating coder told me that TypeScript is a waste of time and that there was no time to write code comments. I told him I thought I was expected to be coding on a professional level, and he told me it was purely a test of how far I would get with ‘discussing my problem solving process aloud while obtaining the correct answer as quickly as possible.’”

That doesn’t describe professional coding work I’ve ever been paid to do in the last 20 years, and especially not as a 6-figure engineer these last 5 years.

UX, DX, maintainability, and professional handoff to-and-from contractors have been the overwhelming themes of my engineering career, not how fast I can solve abstract graph problems without documenting anything.

Then again, opinions vary. Many senior devs like myself have landed on the opposite argument…