Refactoring is a way of life

I have to admit that this article is primarily a result of ChatGPT. I should probably do another blog post on the usefulness—or evil depending how you look at it—of chatGPT. The final result is still edited and massaged by me, but I had a good base to start from. No matter your stance, AI is here to stay and my stance is that we should learn how to use this new tool.

Refactoring code is an essential part of being a JavaScript developer. It's a way of life that allows us to continuously improve our codebase, making it more readable, maintainable, and efficient.

The first goal is functionality

When we first write code, we often focus on getting the functionality to work as quickly as possible. But as we continue to work on a project, we may realize that our initial implementation is not as efficient or readable as it could be. This is where refactoring comes in.

What is refactoring?

Refactoring is the process of changing the structure of our code without changing its functionality. This can include things like renaming variables, reorganizing functions, and removing duplicated code. By refactoring our code, we can make it easier to understand and maintain, which in turn makes it easier to add new features and fix bugs.

Efficiency

One goal of refactoring is to improve the efficiency of our code. We can remove unnecessary code and optimize what is there to make it run faster and be easier to read. In JavaScript this can be hugely beneficial when you consider the range of devices a frontend application has to run on. Those 8-year old phones just can’t chew the bits like the modern ones.

Readability

Another benefit of refactoring is that it allows us to improve the readability of our code. By following best practices and conventions, we can make our code more consistent and easier to understand. This is especially important when working on a team, as it makes it easier for others to understand and contribute to the codebase.

I’m a big proponent of writing readable code. You might earn a merit badge for completing a complex task in a single line of code, but if nobody understands it that could be the achilles heal of your entire application.

Make it part of your workflow

Refactoring is a continuous process, and it's important to make it a regular part of our workflow. Whether it's during development, before a release, or after a bug has been found, taking the time to refactor our code can have a significant impact on the quality and maintainability of our codebase.