Research shows that reading and navigating code consume more time than typing.
To enhance readability, we focus on three optimizations: making code easy to scan, emphasizing expressive layout, and adopting a compact format.
👓 Code easy to scan
Leveraging human pattern recognition and standardizing non-essential elements in code makes accidental complexity fade into the background.
Consistent layouts help distinguish code behavior and structure within classes.
💎 Code expressive layout
Choosing meaningful names is key to code clarity.
Code layout is also expressive.
Teams often adopt automatic formatters as a starting point, fine-tuning manually.
This hand-finished style aligns with code intent, surpassing automated formatters.
🤏 Code Compact format
Maximizing on-screen content reduces cognitive load.
Traditional long comments and whitespace were suitable for older technology, but modern IDEs offer syntax coloring and cross-linking.
Every pixel should aid code comprehension, with layout serving this purpose effectively.
✍️ Code is like poetry: everything in the text has a purpose.