Wow Code, Such Read! (RubyConf Colombia)

Abstract:
When we learn to code, that usually means learning how to *write* code. However in practice, we spend a lot of time *reading* code instead! It’s the way we find answers to questions about how things work. Reading code efficiently is therefore a very valuable skill. This talk will cover how Ruby developers can improve this skill, with tips for comprehending and debugging code faster. We'll also take a look at how you’d go one level deeper and read Ruby’s own source code, even if you don’t know much about C!

This talk was presented at RubyConf Colombia 2016 in Medellín, ~32 minutes: https://youtu.be/u2VrYZDh-4g
Blog post: http://kwugirl.blogspot.com/2016/05/wow-code-such-read.html

Transcript

1. @kwugirl
   Wow Code, Such Read!
   KWu
   Ruby Agent Engineer
   amaze
   understand
   so power
   

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2. @kwugirl
   the goal:
   get better at
   reading code
   

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3. be fearless
   in diving into
   code you don’t know
   Edmond Lau
   theeffectiveengineer.com
   

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4. @kwugirl
   

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5. @kwugirl
   10.000 hours
   

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6. @kwugirl
   10.000 hours
   250 weeks
   

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7. @kwugirl
   10.000 hours
   250 weeks
   ~5 years!
   

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8. @kwugirl
   productive struggling
   

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9. @kwugirl
   code archaeology
   https://www.flickr.com/photos/22134952@N04/2850397739
   

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10. @kwugirl
    2. remember your question
    3. enlist help
    1. see the code
    

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11. @kwugirl
    the problem
    

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12. @kwugirl
    the problem
    connection.execute("EXPLAIN #{query}")
    

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13. @kwugirl
    the problem
    connection.execute("EXPLAIN #{query}")
    SELECT "blogs".* FROM "blogs" WHERE
    "blogs"."id" = $1 LIMIT 1
    with
    

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14. @kwugirl
    the problem
    connection.execute("EXPLAIN #{query}")
    SELECT "blogs".* FROM "blogs" WHERE
    "blogs"."id" = $1 LIMIT 1
    with
    

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15. @kwugirl
    {
    :sql=>

    "SELECT \"blogs\".* FROM \"blogs\" WHERE \"blogs\".\"id
    \" = $1 LIMIT 1",
    …
    :binds=>
    [[#0x007fd13a879e58 @array=false,
    @cast_type=#QL::OID::Integer:0x007fd13a87afd8 @limit=nil,
    @precision=nil, @range=-2147483648...2147483648,
    @scale=nil>,…,42]]
    }
    ActiveSupport::Notifications.subscribe 'sql.active_record'
    

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16. @kwugirl
    {
    :sql=>

    "SELECT \"blogs\".* FROM \"blogs\" WHERE \"blogs\".\"id
    \" = $1 LIMIT 1",
    …
    :binds=>
    [[#0x007fd13a879e58 @array=false,
    @cast_type=#QL::OID::Integer:0x007fd13a87afd8 @limit=nil,
    @precision=nil, @range=-2147483648...2147483648,
    @scale=nil>,…,42]]
    }
    ActiveSupport::Notifications.subscribe 'sql.active_record'
    

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17. @kwugirl
    2. remember your question
    3. enlist help
    1. see the code
    

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18. @kwugirl
    

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19. @kwugirl
    $ cd src/
    

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20. @kwugirl
    $ cd src/
    $ git clone git@github.com:rails/rails.git

    $ cd rails/
    

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21. @kwugirl
    $ cd src/
    $ git clone git@github.com:rails/rails.git

    $ cd rails/
    $ git checkout v4.2.0
    

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22. @kwugirl
    # Gemfile
    gem 'rails', '4.2.0'
    

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23. @kwugirl
    # Gemfile
    # gem 'rails', '4.2.0'
    gem 'rails', :path => '../../src/rails'
    

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24. @kwugirl
    @instrumenter.instrument(
    "sql.active_record",
    :sql => sql,
    :name => name,
    :connection_id => object_id,
    :statement_name => statement_name,
    :binds => binds) { yield }
    def log(sql, name = "SQL", binds = [], statement_name = nil)
    # active_record/connection_adapters/abstract_adapter.rb
    

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25. @kwugirl
    @instrumenter.instrument(
    "sql.active_record",
    :sql => sql,
    :name => name,
    :connection_id => object_id,
    :statement_name => statement_name,
    :binds => binds) { yield }
    def log(sql, name = "SQL", binds = [], statement_name = nil)
    # active_record/connection_adapters/abstract_adapter.rb
    

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26. @kwugirl
    @instrumenter.instrument(
    "sql.active_record",
    :sql => sql,
    :name => name,
    :connection_id => object_id,
    :statement_name => statement_name,
    :binds => binds) { yield }
    def log(sql, name = "SQL", binds = [], statement_name = nil)
    # active_record/connection_adapters/abstract_adapter.rb
    

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27. @kwugirl
    def log(sql, name = "SQL", binds = [], statement_name = nil)
    @instrumenter.instrument(
    "sql.active_record",
    :sql => sql,
    :name => name,
    :connection_id => object_id,
    :statement_name => statement_name,
    :binds => binds) { yield }
    puts "====== HELLO IS IT ME YOU'RE LOOKING FOR?!!?? ======"
    # active_record/connection_adapters/abstract_adapter.rb
    

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28. @kwugirl
    git blame (can be)
    your friend
    

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29. @kwugirl
    2. remember your question
    3. enlist help
    1. see the code
    

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30. @kwugirl
    don’t get lost
    

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31. @kwugirl
    don’t get lost
    learn one thing at a time
    

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32. @kwugirl
    don’t get lost
    learn one thing at a time
    what are your unknowns?
    

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33. @kwugirl
    the problem
    connection.execute("EXPLAIN #{query}")
    SELECT "blogs".* FROM "blogs" WHERE
    "blogs"."id" = $1 LIMIT 1
    with
    

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34. @kwugirl
    the problem
    connection.execute("EXPLAIN #{query}")
    SELECT "blogs".* FROM "blogs" WHERE
    "blogs"."id" = $1 LIMIT 1
    with
    

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35. @kwugirl
    the problem
    connection.execute("EXPLAIN #{query}")
    SELECT "blogs".* FROM "blogs" WHERE
    "blogs"."id" = $1 LIMIT 1
    with
    

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36. @kwugirl
    2. remember your question
    3. enlist help
    1. see the code
    

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37. @kwugirl
    pair programming
    

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38. @kwugirl
    pair programming
    ¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?
    ¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?
    ¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?
    

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39. @kwugirl
    

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40. @kwugirl
    What are you looking for?
    

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41. @kwugirl
    What are you looking for?
    Why?
    

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42. @kwugirl
    What are you looking for?
    Why?
    How did you know to look there?
    

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43. @kwugirl
    Kernel#caller
    

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44. @kwugirl
    active_record/connection_adapters/postgresql_adapter.rb:601:in `exec_cache'
    active_record/connection_adapters/postgresql_adapter.rb:585:in `execute_and_clear'
    active_record/connection_adapters/postgresql/database_statements.rb:161:in `exec_query'
    active_record/connection_adapters/abstract/database_statements.rb:341:in `select'
    active_record/connection_adapters/abstract/database_statements.rb:37:in `select_all'
    active_record/connection_adapters/abstract/query_cache.rb:70:in `select_all'
    active_record/querying.rb:39:in `find_by_sql'
    active_record/relation.rb:639:in `exec_queries'
    active_record/relation.rb:514:in `load'
    active_record/relation.rb:243:in `to_a'
    active_record/relation.rb:617:in `pretty_print'
    Kernel#caller
    

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45. @kwugirl
    Method#source_location
    

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46. @kwugirl
    Method#source_location
    $ bundle exec rails console
    

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47. @kwugirl
    Method#source_location
    $ bundle exec rails console
    irb(main):001:0> method(:try).source_location
    

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48. @kwugirl
    Method#source_location
    $ bundle exec rails console
    irb(main):001:0> method(:try).source_location
    => ["/…/active_support/core_ext/object/try.rb", 62]
    

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49. @kwugirl
    method_defined?
    RubyTapas #439 “Method Search”
    

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50. @kwugirl
    method_defined?
    $ ObjectSpace.each_object(Class).select{|c|
    c.singleton_class.method_defined?(:try_convert)
    }
    => [File, IO, Regexp, Hash, Array, String]
    RubyTapas #439 “Method Search”
    

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51. @kwugirl
    method_defined?
    $ ObjectSpace.each_object(Class).select{|c|
    c.singleton_class.method_defined?(:try_convert)
    }
    => [File, IO, Regexp, Hash, Array, String]
    RubyTapas #439 “Method Search”
    

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52. @kwugirl
    method_defined?
    $ ObjectSpace.each_object(Class).select{|c|
    c.singleton_class.method_defined?(:try_convert)
    }
    => [File, IO, Regexp, Hash, Array, String]
    RubyTapas #439 “Method Search”
    

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53. @kwugirl
    method_defined?
    $ ObjectSpace.each_object(Class).select{|c|
    c.singleton_class.method_defined?(:try_convert)
    }
    => [File, IO, Regexp, Hash, Array, String]
    RubyTapas #439 “Method Search”
    

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54. @kwugirl
    method_defined?
    $ ObjectSpace.each_object(Class).select{|c|
    c.singleton_class.method_defined?(:try_convert)
    }
    => [File, IO, Regexp, Hash, Array, String]
    RubyTapas #439 “Method Search”
    

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55. @kwugirl
    the solution
    connection.exec_query("EXPLAIN #{statement.sql}",
    "Explain #{statement.name}",
    statement.binds)
    wow
    beauty
    wonder
    

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56. @kwugirl
    the solution
    connection.exec_query("EXPLAIN #{statement.sql}",
    "Explain #{statement.name}",
    statement.binds)
    wow
    beauty
    wonder
    

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57. @kwugirl
    the solution
    connection.exec_query("EXPLAIN #{statement.sql}",
    "Explain #{statement.name}",
    statement.binds)
    wow
    beauty
    wonder
    

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58. @kwugirl
    success!!1!one!!
    

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59. @kwugirl
    success!!1!one!!
    $1
    

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60. @kwugirl
    success!!1!one!!
    $1
    }Explain plan
    

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61. @kwugirl
    success!!1!one!!
    released in 3.15.2
    $1
    }Explain plan
    

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62. @kwugirl
    2. remember your question
    3. enlist help
    1. see the code
    

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63. @kwugirl
    reading ruby source
    

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64. @kwugirl
    gentle intro
    

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65. @kwugirl
    gentle intro
    

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66. @kwugirl
    which files?
    

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67. @kwugirl
    which files?
    

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68. @kwugirl
    github.com/ruby/ruby
    

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69. @kwugirl
    github.com/ruby/ruby
    “trunk” not “master”
    

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70. @kwugirl
    pretty flat directory
    

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71. @kwugirl
    pretty flat directory
    

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72. @kwugirl
    std library in lib/
    

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73. @kwugirl
    extension.rdoc
    

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74. @kwugirl
    parse.y
    

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75. @kwugirl
    other helpful points
    

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76. @kwugirl
    other helpful points
    rb_
    

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77. @kwugirl
    other helpful points
    rb_
    regex search with ^ to find method definition
    

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78. @kwugirl
    other helpful points
    rb_
    regex search with ^ to find method definition
    comments
    

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79. @kwugirl
    bugs.ruby-lang.org
    

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80. @kwugirl
    resources
    

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81. @kwugirl
    resources
    readingcodegood.com
    

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82. @kwugirl
    resources
    readingcodegood.com
    schneems' talk “Dissecting Ruby with Ruby”
    

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83. @kwugirl
    resources
    readingcodegood.com
    schneems' talk “Dissecting Ruby with Ruby”
    schneems.com/2016/01/25/ruby-debugging-magic-
    cheat-sheet.html

    tenderlovemaking.com/2016/02/05/i-am-a-puts-
    debuggerer.html
    

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84. @kwugirl
    resources
    

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85. @kwugirl
    resources
    Jason Clark’s talk “GDB: A Gentle Intro”
    

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86. @kwugirl
    resources
    Jason Clark’s talk “GDB: A Gentle Intro”
    Hsing-Hui Hsu’s talk “Time flies like an arrow, fruit
    flies like a banana”
    

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87. @kwugirl
    resources
    Jason Clark’s talk “GDB: A Gentle Intro”
    Hsing-Hui Hsu’s talk “Time flies like an arrow, fruit
    flies like a banana”
    Ruby Under A Microscope
    

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88. @kwugirl
    resources
    Jason Clark’s talk “GDB: A Gentle Intro”
    Hsing-Hui Hsu’s talk “Time flies like an arrow, fruit
    flies like a banana”
    Ruby Under A Microscope
    Definitive Guide to Ruby’s C API: 

    https://silverhammermba.github.io/emberb/c/
    

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89. @kwugirl
    Julia Evans
    jvns.ca
    

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90. @kwugirl
    Net::HTTP is maybe 2000 lines of
    code, not including comments.
    Julia Evans
    jvns.ca
    

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91. @kwugirl
    Net::HTTP is maybe 2000 lines of
    code, not including comments.
    It has ~1000 lines of comments…
    Julia Evans
    jvns.ca
    

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92. @kwugirl
    Net::HTTP is maybe 2000 lines of
    code, not including comments.
    It has ~1000 lines of comments…
    I can read 2000 lines of code,
    Julia Evans
    jvns.ca
    

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93. @kwugirl
    Net::HTTP is maybe 2000 lines of
    code, not including comments.
    It has ~1000 lines of comments…
    I can read 2000 lines of code,
    mostly!
    Julia Evans
    jvns.ca
    

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94. @kwugirl
    ¿?s
    

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95. @kwugirl
    appendix
    

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96. @kwugirl
    doge
    The White Rabbit,
    Alice in Wonderland
    sad Keanu
    pear/pair
    programming
    Lionel Richie +
    Where’s Waldo
    !!1!one!! the “!1” phenomenon
    breadfish
    Slurms MacKenzie,
    Futurama
    

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97. @kwugirl
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    be construed as an offer, commitment, promise or obligation on behalf of New Relic, Inc. (“New Relic”) to sell securities or deliver any product, material, code,
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    Such information may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws. Any statement that is not a historical fact or refers to
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    statements can often be identified as such because the context of the statement will include words such as “believes,” “anticipates,” “expects” or words of similar
    import.
    
    Actual results may differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof, and are subject to change at any
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    New Relic assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law. New Relic makes no warranties,
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