Software decays over time. Not like a piece of fruit, rotting from inside, but due to lack of updates implemented to it; the updates IT environment imposes on all its residents. Such a phenomenon, also known as software aging, is preventable by numerous measures, one of which is code refactoring – the topic of today’s article.
_ They say don’t fix it unless it’s broken. We say update it before it’s old. _
And here’s how:
What is code refactoring?
Code refactoring means restructuring your existing code, in a way that improves the internal structure but doesn’t change its external behavior. This complex procedure is aimed at modernizing software. It is typically used to increase the system’s maintainability, enhance performance, scalability, security and so on. If performed well, it can help developers discover some hidden bugs or vulnerabilities in the system.
Typically, refactoring is done in small steps, called micro-refactorings. Each of these steps is usually a tiny change to a source code that leaves the functionality of the system unchanged, it just makes the code cleaner and simpler. And if you do want to change some functionality of your code, it’s much easier to do with a clean, refactored code.
It should be pointed out that code refactoring doesn’t mean rewriting the code. The two notions are often confused but the difference between them is pretty simple: as we have mentioned above, the code refactoring doesn’t the behavior of software, while rewriting the code does.
The purpose of code refactoring is pretty clear — to keep your code clean, neat, and in order. You might not always see an immediate benefit from it but in the long run it is a worthwhile investment in your product.
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