In today’s dynamic realm of software development, hundreds and thousands of lines of codes converge to create digital landscapes of robust, scalable and efficient software solutions. Creating such high-quality solutions not only require appropriate programming skills but also suitable maintenance and preservation of the codes. One way to do this is by ‘code refactoring’.
Technically, code refactoring is “a disciplined technique for restructuring an existing body of code, altering its internal structure without changing its external behaviour.” This definition may arise a doubt of why a developer would need to go ahead with code refactoring when there is no noticeable difference from the outside. This article answers this question and also provides some best practices for code refactoring.
Before we dive into the advantages of code refactoring, let us quickly look why developers need to perform code refactoring in the first place.
The primary reason code refactoring must be done is to get rid of ‘code smells’ from a software program. Presence of duplicated or redundant code, overcomplicated code design, unused method/variables, arbitrary indentation of code lines, improper naming conventions are some examples of code smells. As applications start to grow, these code smells start effecting the overall code development and ultimately the system performance.
Another major reason which arises the need of code refactoring is ‘technical debt’. A clear indication of accumulating technical debt is when similar activities start to take longer to perform than they did at project commencement but do not differ in complexity. It suggests that the project has issues with scalability, and has complex or ambiguous code.
For developers choosing the agile software development approach, it is extremely important that the code is clean and well-structured. This is another instance where code refactoring comes into picture.
The below section explains the advantages of code refactoring.
Advantages of code refactoring
Makes code easier to understand:
As mentioned above, code refactoring simplifies the code and removes any redundant or unnecessary elements. This not only improves the overall quality and functionality of the program but also reduces the chance of occurrence of bugs and flaws. This ultimately improves code readability and maintenance making it easier for the developers to make modifications and enhancements with ease.
Increases Software Performance and Efficiency:
As the code becomes simpler and cleaner with code refactoring, systems respond quickly. Developers can also identify and eliminate bottlenecks and enhance the efficiency of the code. This contributes to the optimisation of the software performance and its overall improvement.
Improves Productivity:
With code refactoring, the code becomes easier to understand and the developers can spend less time to comprehend the algorithmic logic of the program. As complex code is broken down into smaller and manageable parts, it gets easier to find and fix any bugs. With simplified code structure, it is easier to maintain the program which finally results in improved productivity of the team.
Faster time to Market:
As a project progresses, software requirements keep evolving. It is easier and quicker to accommodate these requirements with a refactored code. As refactored code is clean and inherently flexible, it takes little effort to incorporate the changing the requirements and implement new features that are required thereby leading to a faster time to market.
Saves Development Efforts and Costs:
With a complicated or dirty code, lot of time and effort goes in understanding and debugging the code. Refactoring solves this problem and can indirectly save a lot of time and money for the development team. A clean and straightforward code makes it easier for any developer to understand the code and implement new features quickly. It is also easier for the developers to find any bugs or security errors in a refactored code than in a complicated code and hence saving the money for the company in the long run.
Best Practices for Code Refactoring:
With various such advantages of code refactoring, here are the best practices for code refactoring.
Set clear boundaries
Before starting with code refactoring, establish clear boundaries as to what and how the code needs to be changed and if there is any part of the code that should not be disturbed during the refactoring process
Perform frequent tests
Testing is a crucial step when performing code refactoring. Testing allows you to easily and quickly control the dependencies and avoid any errors that might negatively affect the functionality of the entire system.
For instance, our team of developers at Krify ensure to use the test-driven approach to consistently test and refactor the code in our software development projects.
Refactor before adding new features
Refactoring before adding new features, functionalities or updates to your program reduces the risk of incurring a technical debt.
Make a proper plan of action
“Code Refactoring and Its Importance In Software Development” entails creating a roadmap before embarking on the refactoring process. This roadmap helps determine the objectives of the refactoring, whether it’s for routine cleanup or enhancing readability. By outlining these goals, you can plan your time effectively and execute the process efficiently.
Conclusion
“Code Refactoring and Its Importance In Software Development” is an extremely useful and necessary process to improve the code quality and build a resilient software ecosystem. This not only allows for easier debugging and maintenance of software programs but also paves the way for smoother collaboration among team members. Code refactoring can yield numerous benefits for software development projects provided it is conducted with the right technology partner. We, at Krify, house a number of experienced developers and professionals who stay up-to-date with evolving technologies and efficient practices like code refactoring. In case of further queries, please contact us.
