- Duplicated Code
- Long Method
- Large Class
- Long Parameter List
- Divergent Change
- Shotgun Surgery
- Feature Envy
- Data Clumps
- Primitive Obsession
- Case Statements
- Parallel Inheritance Hierarchies
- Lazy Class
- Speculative Generality
- Temporary Field
- Message Chains
- Middle Man
- Inappropriate Intimacy
- Alternative Classes with Different Interfaces
- Incomplete Library Class
- Data Class
- Refused Bequest
- Comments
- Metaprogramming Madness
- Disjointed API
- Repetitive Boilerplate
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
Comments
Don't worry, we aren't saying that people shouldn't write comments. In our olfactory analogy, comments aren't a bad smell; indeed they are a sweet smell. The reason we mention comments here is that comments often are used as a deodorant. It's surprising how often you look at thickly commented code and notice that the comments are there because the code is bad.
Comments lead us to bad code that has all the rotten whiffs we've discussed in the rest of this chapter. Our first action is to remove the bad smells by refactoring. When we're finished, we often find that the comments are superfluous.
If you need a comment to explain what a block of code does, try Extract Method. If the method is already extracted but you still need a comment to explain what it does, use Rename Method. If you need to state some rules about the required state of the system, use Introduce Assertion.
A good time to use a comment is when you don't know what to do. In addition to describing what is going on, comments can indicate areas in which you aren't sure. A comment is a good place to say why you did something. This kind of information helps future modifiers, especially forgetful ones.