Introducing code refactoring
Code is intended as communication to future software developers. Code that effectively and clearly communicates the purpose and mechanisms is described as clean code.
As described by Robert C. Martin (better known as Uncle Bob), clean code can be achieved through refactoring. Code refactoring is not merely modifying code, but a disciplined approach to continuously improving code. One aspect is removing the indiscriminate code smell that qualitatively characterizes poorly written code (see Further reading). A second aspect is improving the code’s actual design, which should improve its readability and maintainability. This is critical since firms spend an estimated 75% of their software development costs on the evolution and maintenance of software (Sommerville).
Software developers frequently dedicate time to refactoring, which involves rewriting sections of existing code while keeping the original functionality and purpose intact. The goal...
