Written Comments vs Self Documenting Code
Developers should use written comments to clarify complex algorithms, document assumptions, explain non-obvious code, and provide context for future maintainers, especially in team environments or large projects meets developers should adopt self documenting code to streamline maintenance, onboarding, and debugging processes, especially in team environments or long-term projects where code clarity is critical. Here's our take.
Written Comments
Developers should use written comments to clarify complex algorithms, document assumptions, explain non-obvious code, and provide context for future maintainers, especially in team environments or large projects
Written Comments
Nice PickDevelopers should use written comments to clarify complex algorithms, document assumptions, explain non-obvious code, and provide context for future maintainers, especially in team environments or large projects
Pros
- +They are essential for onboarding new team members, reducing technical debt, and ensuring code quality over time, as seen in use cases like open-source contributions, legacy system maintenance, and regulatory compliance in industries like finance or healthcare
- +Related to: code-documentation, clean-code
Cons
- -Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case
Self Documenting Code
Developers should adopt Self Documenting Code to streamline maintenance, onboarding, and debugging processes, especially in team environments or long-term projects where code clarity is critical
Pros
- +It is particularly valuable in agile development, open-source contributions, and legacy system updates, as it minimizes reliance on outdated or missing documentation and reduces the cognitive load for anyone reading the code
- +Related to: clean-code, code-review
Cons
- -Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case
The Verdict
Use Written Comments if: You want they are essential for onboarding new team members, reducing technical debt, and ensuring code quality over time, as seen in use cases like open-source contributions, legacy system maintenance, and regulatory compliance in industries like finance or healthcare and can live with specific tradeoffs depend on your use case.
Use Self Documenting Code if: You prioritize it is particularly valuable in agile development, open-source contributions, and legacy system updates, as it minimizes reliance on outdated or missing documentation and reduces the cognitive load for anyone reading the code over what Written Comments offers.
Developers should use written comments to clarify complex algorithms, document assumptions, explain non-obvious code, and provide context for future maintainers, especially in team environments or large projects
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