Every web development company will agree that the need to write clean and maintainable code is immense in software development. With clean code, the codebase becomes a lot more readable and comprehendible. It also fosters collaboration between developers to reduce the scope for new bugs. In any web development best practices checklist, you will find the mention of clean codes. It is because a clean code allows greater longevity of the software project.
As we dive further into this topic, we will list some web development best practices for writing maintainable and clean code.
Web Development Best Practices for Writing Clean and Maintainable Code
Use of Meaningful Names
Remember that your methods, variables, and classes should have meaningful names that showcase their purpose. Using ambiguous short names can often lead to confusion later. With meaningful names, you can easily understand which code does what by glancing at their name. Also, if other developers work on the project, they will quickly understand which part of the code does what. They can gauge this with the name, and it will help save a lot of time in the development or maintenance process.
Here are some tips for using meaningful names by some of the top web development companies in NYC-
- Keeping descriptive names is the key. Instead of short names, keep names that describe the function of the code. This way, it will be easy to identify the code in case of bugs or errors.
- Consistent naming convention is an absolute must. If you are using the camelCase naming convention for variables, follow the same for your entire code.
- Refrain from using abbreviations, as it will make it difficult for any other development team to understand the code. If another web development company is unfamiliar with your codebase, they will not be able to work on the gig, and it will take them a lot of time to understand the code structure.
- Steer clear of reserved keywords in the code, which can cause errors. Reserved keywords are those words that have a specific meaning in the programming language you are using. Words like “if,” “else,” and “for” are reserved keywords in many programming languages.
Consistent Formatting
Every Web development company needs to maintain consistent coding formatting for better readability. Web development best practices cover keeping a consistent indentation style, proper spacing, and a logical code structure. Use linter or any code formatting tool across the codebase to foster consistent formatting across codes. It will automate the task and maintain consistency as required.
While this might feel like a basic amidst the list of web development best practices, this ultimately becomes extremely crucial in the development stage.
Short Functions and Methods
Complex functions and long methods often become challenging to maintain and decipher. To begin with, plan on keeping your functions and methods short with a focus on a single task. Experts from a top-rated web development company suggest refactoring functions if they exceed a certain number of lines. It will make the function a lot more manageable. Also, it enhances the readability and better testing and debugging of the software.
Limited Comments
As per the web development best practices, a clean code should always be self-explanatory in nature. However, there might be instances where certain codes are complex, and additional context, in the form of comments, is required for explanation. Ensure you are not overdoing it, as it will clutter the code and reduce readability. The aim should be to write expressive codes and use comments in limitation. The goal should be to explain the why and not the what!
Test-Driven Development
When you develop the habit of writing tests alongside your code, it boosts the reliability and maintainability of the software. A test-driven approach in the New York web development arena is finding new takers. In this process, you are supposed to define the expected behavior of the code before writing the actual code. By writing tests before actual implementation, developers can significantly increase their chances of detecting errors early on. Also, as the expected behavior of the code is clear, the developer can create a safety net for all the probable issues that may come with the code.
Don’t Repeat Yourself (DRY Principle)
Use the DRY principle to avoid duplicating the code. Extract reusable classes or functions for common functionality. This helps to drastically reduce code redundancy and makes it simpler to maintain and update the codebase whenever required.
Write Modular Code
Another critical web development best practices is writing modular codes. Modular codes are easy to reuse and help save time, allowing us to reuse the existing code rather than writing a new one from base. You can achieve modularity in a code by breaking it into small, manageable components. This allows you to reuse the code in different parts of the software wherever deemed fit. Some tips for writing modular code are-
- Break down your code into smaller functions focused on a single task
- Break down your code based on classes and objects
- Use popular libraries and frameworks to reuse the code. It will save you time and make writing the code more efficient.
- Use dependency injection to write a modular code, making the code easy to maintain. Dependency injections help to inject dependencies into your code instead of hard coding them, which takes a lot of time.
Code Documentation
Most web development companies in NYC believe in documenting the code. This is a good practice as it assists other developers to understand the code and use it. There are multiple code documentation tools like Confluence and Sphinx. When there’s proper documentation of the code, it makes the work for the entire team a lot easier. It aims to lessen the burden on other developers when they need to maintain or upgrade the software.
Conclusion
Writing clean and maintainable code is non-negotiable for any successful web/software development project. By following the best practices outlined in this blog post, you can improve your codebase’s readability, reliability, and maintainability.
Here is a summary of the key best practices:
- Use meaningful words to name variables, functions, and classes.
- Follow a consistent formatting style.
- Keep functions and methods short.
- Use comments sparingly and effectively.
- Practice test-driven development.
- Avoid code duplication with the DRY principle.
- Write modular code.
- Document your code
By following these set of best practices, you can very well write code that is easy to read, understand, and maintain, making your software development projects more successful.
