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7 Ways to Maintain and Write Better Code

by RahulDecember 9th, 2020

Too Long; Didn't Read

7 Ways to Maintain and Write Better Code: How to write better code and maintain it. Avoid global variables and loops are a mess and can prove problematic when your application grows to millions of lines of code. Use meaningful names for variable names, function/method names, and class names. Use a coding standard for naming conventions, formatting, etc. Use automated build tools like Ant and Phing. Refractor is the eight habit of highly effective developers. You should be refactoring your code on a daily basis.

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Writing and maintaining code is necessary because you want to make it easily understandable for people. So here are some of my tips on how you can write better code and maintain it.

1. Avoid Global Code

Global variables and loops are a mess and can prove problematic when your application grows to millions of lines of code (most do!!!).
Think twice before you pollute the global namespace with variables, functions, loops, etc.

2. Use meaningful structures

Structuring your application is very important, don't use complicated structures, always stick to simplicity.
Always split the four parts of any typical application apart from each other - HTML, CSS Templates/Layouts, JavaScript, PHP Code.

3. Use meaningful Names

Never use names like
```
$k
```
,
```
%n
```
, and
```
$test
```
for your variables.
Good code should be meaningful in terma of variable names, function/method names, and class names.
Some good examples of meaningful names are:
```
$request
```
,
```
$dbResult
```
and
```
$tempFile
```
(depending on your coding style guidelines these may use underscores, camelcase, or, pascal case).

4. Write useful comments

Write meaningful, single line comments for vague lines.
Write full parameter and functionality descriptions for functions and methods; for tricky logic blocks, describe the logic in words before it if necessary.
Don't forget, always keep your comments up to date!

5. Use a coding standard

It's easy to write bad, unorganized code, but it's hard to maintain such code.
Good code typically follows some standard for naming conventions, formatting, etc.

6. Use automated build tools

Try to use tools like Ant and Phing.

7. Refractor

Code refactoring is the eight habit of highly effective developers.
Believe it or not, you should be refactoring your code on a daily basis or your code is not in good health!
If your function or method is more than 20-25 lines, it's more likely that you're including too much logic inside it, and you can probably split it into two or smaller functions/methods.
If your method/function name is more than 20 characters, you should either rethink the name or rethink the whole function/method by reviewing the first rule.