Glossary · Phase 7 · Software engineering
Refactoring
Improving how code is organized without changing what it does.
Tidying a garage doesn't change what you own. It only makes things easier to find. Refactoring means improving code's structure without changing what it does. The rule that makes it safe: small steps, tests green after each one. Rename one thing, run the tests. Pull out one function, run the tests. If a test fails, the last small step is the culprit.
Try it now
Each smell is a hint to look closer, not a rule to obey blindly.
Learn it properly
Readable code and refactoring · Write code people can understand, and improve it safely. About 35 minutes.
Other terms from the same lesson
- pure function: A function whose result depends only on its inputs, and which changes nothing outside itself.
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