“We don’t have time to write tests.”
“We don’t have time for code reviews.”
“We don’t have time to set up a CI server.”
“We don’t have time to automate deploys.”
“We don’t have time to make it accessible.”
“We … Read on...
Category Archives: Clean Code
On Admiring Simplicity
A poorly-designed solution may seem impressive. Why? Because it’s complex and unapproachable. So it looks like it was hard to build.
A well-designed solution may seem unimpressive. Why? Because it’s simple, and approachable. So it looks like it was easy … Read on...
12 Rules for Professional JavaScript in 2015
Disclaimer: I speak in absolutes below for brevity. Yes, nearly every “rule” in programming has exceptions.
JavaScript is hard. It moves so fast that it’s often unclear whether you’re “doing it wrong” at any given moment. Some days it feels … Read on...
Seven Reasons Clean Code Matters
Anyone who knows me well knows the one technical topic I’m unapologetically religious about is the importance of clean code. I recently wrote a guest post on the Pluralsight blog: “Seven Reasons Clean Code Matters”. I won’t rehash … Read on...
Writing in a Dynamic Language? Naming Matters More.
Sure, well-named variables and functions are important in all programming languages. But when is a name good enough? And when is it especially critical? I just received an interesting comment about my new Clean Code course on Pluralsight. The … Read on...
Writing Code? Know Your Boundaries.
Today’s developers are cursed blessed with a massive list of libraries and technologies for solving problems. And some of the worst sins against code stem from simply selecting the wrong tool for the job. It’s recently become clear to me … Read on...
JavaScript Configuration Object Pattern: JSON Saves the Day
So you’re building a modern web app? That means you’re likely running a variety of client-side libraries and custom business logic in JavaScript. And one of the first hurdles you run into is “Hey, I need some data from the … Read on...
Kill the Zombies in Your Code
With Halloween nearly upon us, it seems appropriate to discuss a widespread problem in software development: zombie code. Nearly every codebase I work with is littered with small chunks or large swaths of commented out code. This is zombie Code.… Read on...
Not Enough Time To Build It Sloppy
“Just write it quick and dirty. We can clean it up later.” When deadlines loom and clients are angry it’s hard to argue. Yet the hard truth is most technical debt is never paid down.
Technical debt is insidious because … Read on...