A field guide containing real-world practices that will help you write less complex and more readable code. I’ve been writing code for 20 years. During this time, I have worked on hundreds of projects with dozens of teams. I’ve found that the most important quality of long-lasting code is readability.When I first started writing code, I just wrote code that worked. What’s the difference, as long as it works? Over the years, I’ve done my best to ensure that my code conforms to all best practices. We know that our code is too complex. It’s easy to implement, but hard to avoid. We’re too quick to give up qualities like readability and embrace complexity as needed. We need to get back to the basics of writing code for other people. This is the purpose of BaseCode. Writing code that prioritizes human readability over computer readability.
Avoid code rot by analyzing and automating
Untangling nested code to enhance visual honesty and reduce reader overhead
Introducing objects to encapsulate complexity
Refactoring long blocks of code by understanding reading levels
Simplify naming based on context and time
Using code as the main signal rather than comments
Avoid unnecessary code by using reasonable return values.
Postponing the need to remove duplication using the rule of three
Improving code flow with symmetry