I have read a book called Clean Code by Robert C. Martin. In this book I've seen many methods to clean up code like writing small functions, choosing names carefully, etc. It seems by far the most interesting book about clean code I've read. However, today my boss didn't like the way I wrote code after reading this book.
His arguments were
- Writing small functions is a pain because it forces you to move into each small function to see what the code is doing.
- Put everything in a main big loop even if the main loop is more than 300 lines, it is faster to read.
- Only write small functions if you have to duplicate code.
- Don't write a function with the name of the comment, put your complex line of code (3-4 lines) with a comment above; similarly you can modify the failing code directly
This is against everything I've read. How do you usually write code? One main big loop, no small functions?
The language I use is mainly Javascript. I really have difficulties reading now since I've deleted all my small clearly named functions and put everything in a big loop. However, my boss likes it this way.
One example was:
// The way I would write it
if (isApplicationInProduction(headers)) {
phoneNumber = headers.resourceId;
} else {
phoneNumber = DEV_PHONE_NUMBER;
}
function isApplicationInProduction(headers) {
return _.has(headers, 'resourceId');
}
// The way he would write it
// Take the right resourceId if application is in production
phoneNumber = headers.resourceId ? headers.resourceId : DEV_PHONE_NUMBER;
// The way I would write it
if (isApplicationInProduction(headers)) {
phoneNumber = headers.resourceId;
} else {
phoneNumber = DEV_PHONE_NUMBER;
}
function isApplicationInProduction(headers) {
return _.has(headers, 'resourceId');
}
// The way he would write it
// Take the right resourceId if application is in production
phoneNumber = headers.resourceId ? headers.resourceId : DEV_PHONE_NUMBER;
In the book I've read for example comments are considered as failure to write clean code because they are obsolete if you write small functions and often leads to non-updated comments (you modify your code and not the comment). However what I do is delete the comment and write a function with the name of the comment.
Well, I would like some advice, which way/practice is better to write clean code?
