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Impactful Refactors: Refactoring for Readability by Kinsey Ann Durham We have no problem justifying a refactoring effort when it improves performance or eliminates a code smell. What if I told you there's a way your refactoring could be even more impactful? One of the most costly and time-consuming things we do is on boarding. It takes an incredible amount of effort to bring a developer up to speed on a new codebase. In this talk, we’ll see three real-world readability refactors, discuss how you can apply these techniques for the benefit of your current (and future) team members, and how we can continue to program with empathy in mind. Help us caption & translate this video! http://amara.org/v/Prkb/
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In the talk 'Impactful Refactors: Refactoring for Readability,' Kinsey Ann Durham emphasizes the importance of code readability and its impact on developer onboarding and overall team productivity. As a software engineer, she shares insights from her experience and highlights that while performance can sometimes take precedence, prioritizing readability leads to significant long-term benefits. The presentation includes these key points: - **Importance of Readability**: Durham underscores that readability is crucial for understanding and maintaining code. Readable code enables faster onboarding of new developers and boosts productivity across teams. - **Improving Naming Conventions**: She provides examples of poor naming conventions that hinder understanding, such as using ambiguous names like 'post' instead of 'post_presenter,' which clarifies the variable’s purpose. - **Avoiding Cleverness**: The speaker advises against writing 'clever' code that sacrifices clarity for the sake of brevity or innovative techniques, suggesting that developers should focus on code that communicates its function clearly. - **Enhancing Code Communication**: Through practical examples, such as naming a method 'birth_date_as_integer' instead of just 'birth_date,' she illustrates how naming can function as indirect documentation, improving readability and understanding. - **Empathy in Development**: Durham advocates for empathy-driven practices in coding, suggesting that developers should consider the diverse backgrounds and skill levels of all team members when writing code. This aligns with the humane-driven development approach, emphasizing that code should be accessible and inclusive. - **Resources for Improvement**: She recommends studying works like 'Puter' by Sandy Metz and 'The Art of Readable Code' to learn further readability techniques. Conclusively, Durham asserts that making code readable is not just about personal preference; it fosters a collaborative environment and encourages a culture of inclusiveness in teams. By writing clear and accessible code, teams can better support junior developers and continue improving their overall coding practices.
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