Hi developers, Are you struggling with enhancing your code performance and readability? Let me tell you a bunch of secrets. Here, we are talking about how we can enhance our code quality better. First things first, what is the quality of our code, and what are the criteria that measure it? An important component of software development is code quality, which enhances the efficiency, dependability, and maintainability of the codebase. Ok, dear devs, let's dig into all the metrics one by one.

Understand the requirement

When you have some requirement from your client, you need to understand it thoroughly and create a breakdown of the task into stories. It will help you to understand the code that you want to write and what are the learning and prerequisites you want. As an additional benefit, you will get a proper idea of how to manage your code within the given timeline. So, you will do it without any stress.

Use a version control system

In here you are not single, you will work with your fellow co-workers. That's why we need version control. Version control makes it simpler to roll back to earlier iterations of the code when needed by keeping track of changes made to it over time. Additionally, version control makes it possible for several developers to collaborate on the same codebase at once without running into problems or losing work.

The following are some advantages of version control:
Monitor code changes over time: Keeping track of code changes makes it simpler to roll back to earlier iterations when needed. This is particularly helpful if there are any bugs or other problems with the code.
Working together: Teamwork and developer efficiency are increased when numerous developers may collaborate on the same codebase at once without running afoul of one other or losing work.
Backup: Version control keeps a copy of the codebase so that errors or mishaps can be corrected.
Enhanced openness: It is simpler to comprehend who made modifications and why when there is a clear history of those changes in the code. This can enhance accountability and openness within a team.
There are a large number of version control systems out there, Git being one of the most widely used. It's critical to adhere to standard practices while utilizing version control, which include managing branches, crafting informative commit messages, and routinely merging changes into the main codebase. It also includes another thang.

Use Code Reviews

In our codes reviewing plays a significant role. Code reviews are a process when one or more developers go through the work of another dev and offer comments, ideas and recommendations for enhancements. Code reviews are much needed for any successful application development team as they aid in finding problems, enhance readability, and guarantee that the code adheres to best practices and standards.
The following are some advantages of code reviews:
Better code quality: Eliminates errors and raises the standard of the code as a whole.
Enhanced cooperation: Facilitates developer cooperation, enhancing communication and teamwork.
Enhanced exchange of knowledge: gives team members a means of exchanging best practices and expertise, which raises the code's overall quality.
Decreased chance of bugs: Early bug detection increases the code's overall reliability.
The following should always be kept in mind when performing code reviews:
Promote candid and open feedback: Code reviews ought to be a secure environment where engineers may give candid and helpful criticism to one another.
Prioritize the code over the person: Reviews of code ought to concentrate on the code itself rather than the author. Comments ought to be helpful and directed toward making the code better rather than criticizing the person.
Make it a team effort: Code reviews ought to be carried out as a team, with several developers contributing comments and cooperating to make the code better.

Automate Your Testing

Here, testing is one of the best ways to identify the mistakes that you have made. Here, testing can vary with your organization's practices. Some of them are tested by QA, and then the issues are fixed. But there is a better way to improve yourself and that is to execute unit tests using a test framework.
Here, with unit testing, you will get a chance to ensure that your implementation is working as expected and test every nook and corner of the user scenarios to identify the issues. So, testing yourself is another best way to improve your code quality.

Maintain Updated API documentation.

A well-documented API is a beacon of clarity. It will help not only you but also
every role, like devs, QA, and automation engineers, to identify the application referring to a single document.
Stay Updated on latest practices
Coding is a field that updates in real-time. It is updating the time that you read this. So, to go through it, you should update it, too. Improving and maintaining yourself with the latest code ethics will reflect your code quality.

Refactor your code regularly.

Restoring is changing the code structure without altering its functionality. Rewriting parts of the code improves readability, performance, and maintainability. And it will decrease the chances that cause errors in your code.
When you are refactoring your code, the following things should be kept in mind.
Write the automated tests: As I mentioned earlier, the test cases should be written or updated according to the refactoring that you have done.
Document changes: In the API documentations that you have created should be updated with the changes in real time. It will help everyone to understand the code well.
Make small incremental changes: When refactoring code, small changes are crucial because big changes make it harder to find flaws. It is also easy to roll back to earlier versions when needed thanks to minor adjustments.
Those are some important things that you need to pay attention to when coding quality. Hope you will get the best out from this to improve your code quality and ethics. Good luck devs and happy coding….!