8 Tips to Write a Quality Code
Poorly written code can be a real disaster. When the mistakes in your code increases, so do the time that it takes to remove the mistakes and maintain them. With growing errors in any code, the project can no longer be maintained and the project will slowly die.
I had the opportunity to work on a lot of software projects and I am quite confident about my potential to write quality code. Before I share some tips with you, let me explain to you in my terms what is quality code?
What is a Quality Code?
A high-quality code is a code that is easy to understand and has the least bugs. It performs what is expected of it and follows the level of the language it is written in.
Now that you know what I am talking about let’s see how we can write a quality code.
Tips to Write a Quality Code
1. Try Linter
Ensure you have a linter in place to ensure consistency in code formatting.
2. Invest in BDD Framework
Invest in automated (recommended BDD frameworks) testing framework, mock third-party services and write tests as how you write user stories.
3. Integrate a CI/CD System
Ensure before code is committed, the system verifies that the repo can be built, tests are passing and code formatting is correct. CircleCI is a good one.
4. Code Review Process
Incorporate a thorough the code review process, not just for formality sake.
5. Review README file
Ensure the README file has sections that give an overview of the project, how to set up and contribute as well as how to deploy to production.
6. Enable Review Apps
Enable review apps to verify changes in isolation (must-have for frontend applications). Heroku does this almost for free.
7. Do A Weekly Demo
Do a weekly/fortnight demo of the changes within the team. This changes everything. Make it a habit.
8. Add TODO’S In The Code
Add TODO’s in the code to track technical debt. Add them to your ticketing system. Address at least one technical debt every sprint. JIRA is a good tool for this.
Now that you know what are you aiming at, for a deeper understanding of a quality code, I highly recommend reading Code Complete and Clean Code.
