Refactoring is the process of improving the design of existing code without changing its functionality. It involves making code more readable, maintainable, and extensible by restructuring it in a way that is easier to understand and modify. The goal is better code quality.
Example reasons:
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Improve readability: Refactoring can make code easier to read and understand by removing unnecessary complexity, and improving code organization.
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Enhance maintainability: Refactoring can make code easier to maintain by removing code duplication, improving code structure, and reducing the risk of future changes breaking existing code.
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Increasing extensibility: Refactoring can make code more extensible by making it easier to add new features, or modify existing ones.
Example techniques:
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Rename: Change the name of a variable, method, or class to better reflect its purpose.
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Extract: Break up a large component, method, function, or class, into smaller ones.
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Replace conditionals: Change from if/else or switch/case into polymorphic objects that perform the same behavior.
Refactoring is an important practice in software development because it helps improve code quality over time. It allows developers to continuously improve the design of their code without having to start from scratch or introduce new bugs. By making code easier to read, maintain, and extend, refactoring reduces technical debt and improves technical opportunities.