If you think decomposition is from CSI, stop writing code!

I like coaching developers to write better code, but sometimes it is too much. So here it goes:

If you think decomposition is from CSI, STOP writing code!

So, it is off my chest. Simples rule of thumb:

• if a function doesn't fit on a printed page, it is too long
• A function does one thing. If you loop through a document (or record) collection call a function with the individual document as parameter
• Use objects and inheritance with a factory class instead of monster case structures with copy/paste code duplication
• Refuctoring was meant as a joke
• The functions that declare a variable clean it up, not the called functions
• Global variables are evil unless you have 7 good reasons to have them

When you write your code in JavaScript use JSHint (someone port this to SSJS please), when you write Java, look at Crap4J. Unfortunately there is no free one for LotusScript, but you could use Visustin to visualize your functions - 3m image size would definitely be too long.

Want to improve? Attend a computer science 101 class at a good university and some programming lessons. This is the 21st century, it won't cost you (other than your time):

• Stanford Engineering Everywhere offers:
  1. CS106A Programming Methodology (meet Carol the Robot)
  2. CS106B Programming Abstractions
  3. CS107 Programming Paradigms
• Coursera offers classes from different universities. Check these out:
  1. Introduction to Python (Rice)
  2. Computer Science 101 (Stanford)
  3. Algorithms: Design and Analysis, Part 1 (Stanford)
  4. Algorithms: Design and Analysis, Part 2 (Stanford)
  5. Algorithms, Part I (Princeton)
  6. Algorithms, Part II (Princeton)
  7. Learn to Program: The Fundamentals (Toronto)
• edx offers education from MIT, Harvard, the universities of Texas and Berkeley
  1. 6.00x: Introduction to Computer Science and Programming (MIT)
  2. CS50x: Introduction to Computer Science (Harvard)
• CodeAcademy has JavaScript, HTML/CSS, Python and many more

Keep in mind: for every function line you write over 100 lines a kitten must die.