What is code cruft?
Badly designed, unnecessarily complicated, or unwanted code or software - google dictionary
Code cruft is redundant, old, or improperly written code.
Where does it come from?
There are numerous sources for code cruft, these include
- Lack of knowledge or inexperience
- Rushed code
Bad code often feels faster in the same way hurrying feels faster
Don’t confuse cruft with technical debt
Code cruft is not technical debt. Dirty code was never intended to be included in the technical debt metaphor. It makes writing dirty code seem to be a strategic decision, when it isn’t.
How to avoid cruft
Label it, creating a rating system and building code in a modular way
Encode your standards into a linter or other static analyzer. Start with an almost empty set of rules, and then slowly add as you agree upon standards for your code.
Common causes of code cruft
Framework Shifts
For engineering teams, half-completed framework shifts are one of the most common causes of confusing technical debt. Does introducing the new framework bring enough advantages? If so, should we move everything instead of having a foot in each camp?
Developers who feel quality is variable
Some developers feel that quality can be varied. This means that they adjust quality if put under pressure. This can create code cruft.
Rating System - Rate things across 3 spectrums
1) Security - are there security concerns associated with this code? 2) Prevalence - how widespread is the code? 3) Fequency - how often do you come into contact with the code?
Ways to avoid it
A Jig
A jig is any code with the primary purpose of enabling better code, not being shipped into production and used itself.
Examples of Jigs:
- Test Code
- Component Library (Twitter Bootstrap)
- Golden Master
Shims, Jigs and Other Woodworking Concepts to Conquer Technical Debt
