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16 ways to improve your code after it's finished

Jason Li
Sr. Software Development Engineer
Skilled Angular and .NET developer, team leader for a healthcare insurance company.
March 21, 2020


16 ways to improve the "finished" code

1. Lint

Lint or linter is a tool, which is like a code review robot that carries out hundreds of semantic policies. Some among them were authored by obsessive scolds from the programming faction that counts blank figures and rebukes those who use too more or too less. Some were authored by notable persons who flagged profound semantic styles that could lead to stability flaws thereafter. It analyzes code to indicate programming and stylistic errors, and suspicious constructs. It is a vital task to choose a collection of linters which your team must have already conducted. Now it is the time to activate them.

2. Profile

As said by Don Knuth, "premature optimization is the root of all evil", as it is absurd to devote time to improve the sections of code that performs occasionally. As you have summed up your coding, it is the right time to incite a profiler and check for the hot spots. It is seen that 10 percent of the code performs well more likely for almost 90 percent of the time. At times there are inner loops that are tight, absorbing 99 percent of the cycles. If you could fade them now, a few adjustments could pay off.

3. Eliminate debugging tools

It is advisable to clean out the tools or verbose logging options that are embedded in the production code and turn off the debugging options, once the code is activated. The additional data may muddle up the system and cause performance flaws by filling up the disk drive. It is wise to leave off the tools for debugging out of the production servers.

4. Evaluate with AI

Programmers that are obsolete used basic expressions and standard statements to check on issues and errors. Contemporary programmers have artificial intelligence (AI) tools to point out the errors. For example, Amazon's CodeGuru, is asked to "leverage machine learning models" to search and eliminate undesirable codes. This process is completely automated that is built up on profiling and tight analysis.

5. Curate data

It is easy to intake databases and log files for granted when you are creating an application. If you have completed creating your application, you should start optimizing the database to induce speed and stability. To lookup speed, affix indices to the appropriate columns. Including mirroring and frequent backup will enhance the stability that occurs after loss of power or disk crash.

It is time to weigh the cost of storage against the cost of data loss. Calculate the value of log files, the cost spend to maintain them, the cost of diverse backup plan against the probability of ruinous failure of data center, etc. It is not an easy task to find solutions to all these, but once the cost of backup are sorted, one can decide on how much fling you can achieve. It is similar to playing off the lottery games, with the dice of your career and that of everyone that surrounds you.

6. Optimize data flow

Numerous operations or applications either on the server or scattered around the internet with a content delivery network. Blending a content delivery network (CDN) or introducing a distributed memory cache is one among the easiest methods to enhance the efficiency experienced by the users.

7. Optimize data

It is not necessary that all data should be as huge as it is. We can reduce the size without paying off too much, by compromising on images. Elaborate backgrounds that add to the stylistic details can be replaced by CSS instructions for the gradient fills, which take only a small section of disk space and bandwidth. Designers, artists and photographers often prefer to keep all the information and detail around for in case they needed it, by storing images in RAW format. Unnecessary detail below the user's perceptual verge and extra EXIF values can be eliminated using tools like ImageOptim. They clean and compress the images that are uploaded by the user. This optimization and compression results in speed efficient downloads and lesser bandwidth bills.

8. Add an API

Well established and well-structured API was used by many architects in the beginning, for distinguishing the front-end display code from business logic underneath. But at times there is a major probability to extent the use of code base by increasing the number of door or window. API tools like Swagger make this process simple by offering the parsing, routing, and documentation. If you are available with some good functions, you get clean entry point to your present block of code; adhering to a new API can activate new options for automation and integration.

code

9. Assort into a library

Some codes that are written by you will possess a second, third or fourth life as a library that is integrated into other projects. An efficient architect will foresee some of these options and will break down the code into libraries from the start. But for others the inspiration makes the strike later. If the refactoring of the code into library is accomplished, it is a good start giving a new and fresh life to your work.

10. Document

In today's world documentation is least important than it was previously, but is still handy if it is applied in correct amount. If your code is written in a well-structured manner with variable names and simple structure, the code will not require many local comments. It is still beneficial to strategize the basic role of each section and indicate how the data is flowing through the code. It is also advisable to point out few of the probable errors with the code and show how the code survives from exceptions.

11. Split into micro services

Many architects take their big fish visions and smash them into bits and pieces, understanding that it is easier to handle small applications than a huge one. Developers can handle different sections at the same time, coding and testing independently before performing the final integration test. Projects often develop over time, specifically when you are adding additional features toward the end. As you near the end line, the advantages of distributing and scattering work into smaller pieces become clarified.

12. Containerize

Many codes live their life out in a container image that indicates the new source files and implies which libraries and other services are necessary. Drafting the configuration file could be a easy process in some cases but there are numerous opportunities to be capable. Some groups would like to distribute the code into numerous containers in case some might be used for separate reasons. In general, each micro service lives in its own capsule, but there may be a reason to share. Some developers are upholding more advanced approaches like developing separate containers for individual documents.

13. Deploy to server less

Server less computing options are becoming more common, it might be smart to extort the relevant functions from your code and unfold them to server less platform like AWS Lambda or Azure Functions. The bills are estimated by the call, so you will not pay for idle periods when there is no coming in traffic. If the code you developed is well-structured and is not in need of any local state, it is simple to extort the business logic from the application and reconstruct it in a simple function call handled by a server less system.

14. Deploy to mobile

Good web applications are developed for mobile displays and they work efficiently on smart phones that there are least demands to create a standalone application. Along with that web does not force the creator to leap over numerous hurdles and reviews just to get enlisted by the Google play or any other app store. At times there are good reasons to convert a app that is web based into a basic iPhone or Android app, and there are efficient tools that make the conversion simple by concluding the web server with an installed version of search engines.

Activating JavaScript in an installed webpage is not really native as claimed by purists, and they are correct that for some apps, performance could lag like intense games, but for some apps this is the easiest method to adapt something to the stores. Other advantages also account to this. Native apps will be able to handle data delivery with accuracy by caching large blocks of website. This could save bandwidth for both the developer and user of application, making the communication quicker and low cost for bandwidth.

15. Move to web

More likely it is laborious to move in the other direction and restack your app as a website. Unless one of the toolkits are designed for web coding is used, you will be rewriting the code natively written in Java, or Objective-C. Still, constructing for the web browser can deliver flexibility from the coercion of the app store reviews and the chance to handle the desktop machines with the same code.

16. Keep going

Some capable programmer reestablished the idea of redrafting code. Refactoring does not agree upon pre existing errors. Improving the code is a good step after you "finish". Little amendments and adjustments can be made to the code immediately. Small changes may appear not materialistic, but over time they add up to necessary improvements. It is just one continuous loop of advancement and distribution.