Refactoring
Refactoring is the disciplined process of restructuring existing code without changing its external behavior, aimed at improving its internal structure, readability, and maintainability. It involves techniques like renaming variables, extracting methods, and simplifying conditional logic to reduce technical debt and enhance code quality. This practice is fundamental in software development to keep codebases clean, adaptable, and easier to extend over time.
Developers should learn and apply refactoring regularly to manage code complexity, fix bugs more efficiently, and prepare for new features without breaking existing functionality. It is essential in agile and iterative development cycles, such as when updating legacy systems, optimizing performance, or ensuring code adheres to design patterns, ultimately reducing long-term maintenance costs and improving team productivity.