The good code: 7 clean coding practices

Introduction: What is a good code?

The passion for any work comes from the style and presentation of that work. For example, presenting an idea with a bunch of text and images that are not properly complimenting each other will not impress those who want to invest in your business. But if the same idea is presented differently i.e. making it easy to understand will help you go a long way.  The method to the madness is the key to writing good code. But what exactly is a good code?  

Defining the good code:

The definition of a good code cannot be singled out to one particular aspect, but the key highlights of a good code are that it is clean, timely written and cost-savvy, following a pattern or convention making it easily readable.  If you are a novice programmer, do not just think you are going to write good and clean code straight away. You would need a lot of things to get there, but that lot is not difficult.  

Here are a few things you should keep in mind while going for a good code…. 

THINK 

Assuming is good, outlining a scale is very good, but getting input of the key people in your project is best to get the ball rolling. 

KEEPING THINGS SIMPLE 

Break things down to needs and limitations. Be aware about making changes in mind. Implementation should always be the final step. 

NOT BEING REPTITVIE 

Go for a test drive. Each functional unit should be identified before putting to code. Write its test. Each unit should be definite, and reliable for interpretation i.e. designing the pattern should be decided in this step. Follow it up with implementation to validate the whole process. 

CONSISTENT 

Being particular about a style guide is important but consistency is the key. It will prevent errors and make the code clearer. The logic behind the code should be consistent and reliable otherwise expect nothing but disaster. Quality has no merit when there is no consistency. 

REVISE YOUR CODE

Of course, there is room for mistakes. But with mistakes, feedback and review are very important. Another set of eyes on your code will help in identifying the grey areas. Valuing the review process will only make things easier. 

NO OVERTHINKING 

Trust your instincts. Leave no stone unturned while trying for the best practices but remain within the scope you decided. Be realistic and sensible i.e. stay within the rules, rules are here to help you when you are not helping yourself. Never try anything out of the ordinary you are not sure about. Too much overthinking is like too many cooks spoiling the broth.  

RUN THE CODE 

Don’t you want to see how it all pans out at the end?

Conclusion

Coding is a long and strenuous process unless you are thinking about writing Hello World. A good code requires more finesse than actual coding. But the process is fun and useful.