Code is the foundation of any software, determining its reliability and maintainability. But over time, it can become overloaded and difficult to understand and modify.
Code refactoring and technical auditing are important for the development of digital products, especially for companies that want to grow and scale. As a result, businesses will be able to reduce costs, simplify support, and accelerate the implementation of new features.
In this article, we'll look at why to update the code and conduct audits, what refactoring is, and which applications need it most.
Auditing and refactoring code are two different approaches to working with software code. An application audit is a comprehensive system diagnosis that identifies common problems, risks, and inconsistencies with standards. The goal is to gain additional insight into the state of the software.
Refactoring, on the contrary, is a targeted work with specific sections of code aimed at improving its internal structure without changing functionality. If an audit can be compared with a full medical examination, then refactoring is the targeted treatment of individual symptoms.
Developers are often faced with changing requirements, urgent bug fixes, or hasty improvements. As a result, even initially well-designed code turns into a confusing maze, where it is difficult for any programmer and an outside specialist to navigate.
New projects need refactoring in order to:
Technologies evolve over time: programming languages improve, new libraries and constructs appear. What used to require dozens of lines of code can now be implemented with a single command. Therefore, the companies' software products periodically require updating outdated fragments.
Before making changes, you need to understand the current state of the code. Application audit allows you to:
Identify bottlenecks and potential errors.
Assess compliance with standards and safety.
Give recommendations on optimization.
Technical audit provides a complete picture of problems and growth points, and refactoring helps to eliminate them.
Refactoring does not fix errors or expand the program's capabilities. It focuses on improving the readability and understandability of the code.
Let's take a simple example of string processing in Python.
# До рефакторинга
age_list = [1, 2 ,3]
new_list = []
for age in age_list:
new_list.append(age + 2)
# После рефакторинга
age_list = [1, 2 ,3]
new_list = [age + 2 for age in age_list]Externally, nothing has changed — the program performs the same functions, but the code has become more compact and understandable. The systematic implementation of such improvements significantly improves the quality of the entire project.
Do not forget that the code is written not only for the machine, but also for people. Well-structured, clear, and optimized code makes system development and maintenance efficient.
Let's look at the main advantages of software refactoring and application auditing.:
Clean code reduces the cost of support and bug fixes. The more structured and logical it is, the easier it is for developers to understand it. This speeds up the work and reduces the likelihood of new bugs.
The easily modifiable code allows you to adapt faster to changes in the market. When the architecture is thought out, introducing new features becomes less costly and does not lead to cascading errors.
Reducing the chances of critical failures and unplanned downtime is the result of analysis and optimization. A code audit helps identify potential bottlenecks and eliminate them before they lead to serious problems in production.
Flexible architecture — new opportunities for growth. If the system is initially built with scalability in mind, then adding new modules, integrating with other services, or increasing the load will not be a problem.
Regular technical audits of the application and code refactoring keep the codebase up to date, which reduces costs in the long run.
Let's look at the most popular methods used by experienced developers to improve the quality of software solutions.
|
Technic |
Description |
Mechanism |
Advantages |
|
Extract Method |
Decomposition of complex code in order to structure a software solution |
Separating isolated logical fragments into separate methods |
|
|
Embedding a method (Inline Method) |
Simplification of architecture through minimization of methods |
Integration of simple methods directly into the place where they are called |
|
|
Renaming elements (Rename Method/Variable) |
Improving the semantics and clarity of the code |
Replacing identifiers with more informative names |
|
|
Introduction of the parameter object (Introduce Parameter Object) |
Optimization of parameter transmission and grouping |
Combining related parameters into a single logical object |
|
|
Eliminate duplication (Remove Duplicate Code) |
Centralization of common logic and the fight against redundancy |
Identifying and combining duplicate code fragments |
|
Tip: Regularly analyze the code for refactoring opportunities and apply appropriate techniques.
Refactoring can be done before a new sprint, while working on user stories, or when project activity decreases. This way, it will be possible to update the code before adding features and conduct a technical audit.
Refactoring is rarely done alone. The process of code optimization and auditing is better due to the well-coordinated work of the developers. Thanks to this, projects are completed on time and without unnecessary risks.
Communication helps to avoid misunderstandings and speeds up the process of agreeing on changes. It is important to work with professionals who explain their solutions and offer optimization ideas.
We know how to make this process effective. We have 16+ completed projects and expertise in developing cross-platform and native applications.
