Hunting Down The Highest-Quality Code

Developing software programs and applications can be a very complicated process. For the programmers tasked with developing these pieces of technology, finding a way to avoid mistakes during the coding process is a top priority. Having numerous coding mistakes can lead to a program failing to function properly in the hands of users.

While over 60 percent of software programs and applications are developed using JavaScript, many programmers still use Python and PHP as well. Newcomers to the world of coding often get overwhelmed when assigned their first big project. The larger a piece of software is, the higher the risk becomes of mistakes being made.

The following are some of the things you need to consider when trying to increase the quality of your code.

Using a Linter Can Be Extremely Helpful

Before you begin to write code for a software program or mobile application, you need to take stock of what tools you have and what you may need to complete the project at hand. One of the most overlooked tools in the world of programming is a code linter. In essence, these programs are designed to read your code as it is written and call attention to any mistakes that may be present.

Often times, these programs refer back to the accepted standards of the coding language being used when looking for problems. Some beginner programmers ignore warnings from a linter program that they view as insignificant or trivial. Over time, these trivial warnings will add up and create big problems. This is why addressing coding errors as they are pointed out is a must.

Proceed With Caution When Putting in Code Comments

In the world of programming, there are two different schools of thought when it comes to coding comments. Some people like to comment on every part of their code, while others tend to avoid commenting altogether. Finding the grey area between these schools of thought is important.

When trying to figure out whether or not to add a comment, you need to think about whether or not the comment will add value. Filling your code with comments that serve no purpose will lead to a muddled and confusing composition. You need to consider who will be maintaining the code you develop before you start commenting.

Make Sure Your Code is Legible

Having code that is hard to read and figure out can make maintaining it a nightmare. As you develop your code, you need to work on keeping it neat and uniform. The messier your code is, the higher the risk will become of errors being generated. Are you looking for more information on error logs and how to aggregate them? If so, be sure to check out Log aggregation tool – Server log file aggregator | Papertrail | Papertrail. 

Doing things like using well-formed function names can make a big difference when it comes to how legible your code is. Shortening the names of your functions can make reading your code much easier for other developers.

Allow Other Team Members to Review Your Code

Programmers are notorious for being territorial when it comes to the programs they create. Instead of having this territorial mindset, you need to reach out to members of your team for help whenever possible.

Before you turn in your code to be deployed, be sure to let valued members of your look it over. Often times, getting an objective look at this code can help you discover overlooked errors.

What’s the Rush?

While most programmers have deadlines, there is usually plenty of time to develop quality code. Getting in a big hurry when developing code is a recipe for disaster, which is why you need to avoid it all costs.