The Art of Writing Clean Code

Clean Code Matters

Clean code is easy to read, understand, and modify. It's not about being clever—it's about being clear.

Meaningful Names

Use descriptive variable and function names. Names should reveal intent. Avoid abbreviations unless they're universally understood.

Functions Should Do One Thing

Keep functions small and focused. If you're using 'and' to describe what a function does, it probably does too much.

DRY Principle

Don't Repeat Yourself. Extract common logic into reusable functions. But don't over-abstract too early.

Comments

Write code that explains itself. Use comments to explain 'why', not 'what'. If you need comments to explain 'what', improve the code.

Consistent Formatting

Use consistent indentation, spacing, and naming conventions. Automated formatters like Prettier solve this problem.

Error Handling

Handle errors gracefully. Don't use exceptions for control flow. Fail fast and provide helpful error messages.

Testing

Write tests for your code. Tests are documentation that never goes out of date and give you confidence to refactor.

Refactoring

Regularly improve existing code. Leave code better than you found it. Small, incremental improvements compound over time.

Code Reviews

Embrace code reviews as learning opportunities. Clean code is a team effort that requires constant practice and feedback.