Index
- What is refactoring
- When refactoring is needed
- Advantages and disadvantages
- How to implement refactoring
- Conclusion
In this article, we will explore the meaning of refactoring, its applications, and its benefits.
What is refactoring
In software and app development, refactoring refers to the structural improvement and optimisation of source code without changing its functionality. The purpose of refactoring is to improve readability and maintainability as well as to create extension possibilities.
Refactoring is a fundamental and important optimisation in agile software development. In this context, the process is even referred to as “continuous refactoring”. The larger a piece of software and its source code becomes, the more difficult it becomes to maintain. It becomes confusing and difficult to maintain. The code architecture also becomes so complex that even the simplest actions take longer. In addition, standards in software development are changing, and with them the languages used. Some aspects that worked well in source code a few years ago now need to be refactored.
Refactoring focuses on improving these obsolete and confusing parts of the source code, also known as code smell. The source code is changed, but the functions of the programme remain the same.
Refactoring is a fundamental and important optimisation in agile software development. In this context, the process is even referred to as “continuous refactoring”. The larger a piece of software and its source code becomes, the more difficult it becomes to maintain. It becomes confusing and difficult to maintain. The code architecture also becomes so complex that even the simplest actions take longer. In addition, standards in software development are changing, and with them the languages used. Some aspects that worked well in source code a few years ago now need to be refactored.
Refactoring focuses on improving these obsolete and confusing parts of the source code, also known as code smell. The source code is changed, but the functions of the programme remain the same.
When refactoring is needed
Imagine your code is like a professional kitchen. In the beginning, every utensil, ingredient and container has a precise place: spices are labelled, knives sharpened, tools well organised. Everything works efficiently. But with time, due to haste or lack of order, objects start to be randomly stored, ingredients accumulate without logic and finding what is needed becomes increasingly difficult.
However, it is not necessary to rebuild everything from scratch: this is where refactoring comes in. When code is not maintained consistently, it can become cluttered, difficult to read and to modify, just like that poorly managed kitchen.
In these situations, we often speak of “spaghetti code”, a term used to describe intricate code, full of unclear dependencies, with complex, intertwined logical flows. It is a code in which the parts are so interconnected that it is risky and complicated to change even one of them. Understanding decreases, complexity increases and each intervention requires disproportionate effort.
The consequence is a significant increase in the effort required to develop new functionality, greater difficulty in fixing bugs and a general loss of operational efficiency. In short: the ability to intervene in an effective and timely manner is reduced.
Refactoring is implemented in particular in the following cases:
However, it is not necessary to rebuild everything from scratch: this is where refactoring comes in. When code is not maintained consistently, it can become cluttered, difficult to read and to modify, just like that poorly managed kitchen.
In these situations, we often speak of “spaghetti code”, a term used to describe intricate code, full of unclear dependencies, with complex, intertwined logical flows. It is a code in which the parts are so interconnected that it is risky and complicated to change even one of them. Understanding decreases, complexity increases and each intervention requires disproportionate effort.
The consequence is a significant increase in the effort required to develop new functionality, greater difficulty in fixing bugs and a general loss of operational efficiency. In short: the ability to intervene in an effective and timely manner is reduced.
Refactoring is implemented in particular in the following cases:
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After functional changes:
When requirements change or new functionality is added, refactoring ensures that the code remains clear and understandable. This enables rapid adaptation to requirements during development, e.g. by modifying data structures, and promotes the flexibility of the application.
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For performance problems:
Refactoring optimises code and identifies bottlenecks to solve performance problems such as slow execution times or inefficient scheduling of resources. This is particularly useful in environments with high demands on speed and resource utilisation.
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Before code expansion:
Before adding new functionality or modules, code optimisation creates a solid foundation. A well-structured code facilitates the implementation of new functionalities and minimises the risk of errors and incompatibilities.
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At the end of support:
Especially in today's programming languages, version life cycles are limited. If a version is about to end support, an upgrade to a more advanced framework is necessary.
Advantages and disadvantages
Ultimately, improving the comprehensibility of code through minor refactoring is often necessary. However, it is essential to keep the objective clear: refactoring is a practice that, if not well motivated, can be costly in terms of time. Improving the extensibility of code only makes sense if such extensibility is actually required; otherwise, the intervention risks being counterproductive.
The main objective is not to make the code more generic, but to simplify it in order to make it easier to understand. The advantages of refactoring lie in the clarity and reduction of complexity, which reduces the cognitive load required to understand the code base.
However, refactoring has some disadvantages:
The main objective is not to make the code more generic, but to simplify it in order to make it easier to understand. The advantages of refactoring lie in the clarity and reduction of complexity, which reduces the cognitive load required to understand the code base.
However, refactoring has some disadvantages:
- Time-consuming
- Can compromise the correctness of the system
Although important, refactoring is not an end in itself. Significant interventions should be carried out on the occasion of functional changes, such as new features or bug fixes. Small daily improvements fall under the so-called Boy Scout rule: “Leave the code better than you found it”, and should only take a few minutes. More extensive structural changes, on the other hand, should be considered more carefully.
If a refactoring activity takes too long, consideration should be given to aborting it and restoring the previous state via version control. It is essential to maintain a reflective attitude during the process, avoiding prolonged investments with uncertain benefits.
Finally, any errors introduced during refactoring are often related to insufficient test coverage. It is therefore advisable to perform a coverage analysis before proceeding, to verify that the areas concerned are adequately tested. Automated and manual tests are indispensable in this case.
How to implement refactoring
There are numerous methods for restructuring existing code. However, a good starting point are the following six approaches:
- Rename: renaming variables, methods or classes to make them more meaningful and comprehensible.
- Inline method or variable: move compact and comprehensible code directly to the point where it is called, instead of storing it in methods or variables.
- Extract methods: separate complex and confusing code into separate methods and describe them with meaningful method names.
- Introduce explaining variable): instead of leaving context-free values in the code, it is better to store them in descriptive variables. For instance, 3.14 should be called PI.
- Replace fields with parameters: if data changes frequently within a method, it should be transformed into parameters to make the method more flexible.
- Extract in field: separate recurring values in a class into a common field to simplify maintenance. This may concern constants or values common to several methods of a class.
These methods must be selected and applied according to one's needs and the requirements of the project.
Conclusion
Refactoring is a key tool for keeping code healthy, readable and flexible over time. Although it requires time and attention, if applied judiciously it can significantly reduce technical debt, improve productivity and prevent future slowdowns in development.
Understanding when to intervene, what techniques to use, and how to evaluate the cost-benefit ratio is essential to transform refactoring from an occasional activity to a good daily practice. Ultimately, well-structured code is one of the most valuable assets of a software project.
Understanding when to intervene, what techniques to use, and how to evaluate the cost-benefit ratio is essential to transform refactoring from an occasional activity to a good daily practice. Ultimately, well-structured code is one of the most valuable assets of a software project.
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