Reading code

As developers, we spend a lot of time learning to write code, while spending little to no time learning to read code. Meanwhile, we often spend more time reading code than actually writing it. Shouldn’t we be spending at least the same amount of time and effort improving this skill? Deliberate practice can help us get better at reading code. Learning how to better read and understand code, can in turn teach us what makes code readable. This might even help us to write code that is easier to read.

In this talk we will discuss the benefits of deliberately practicing reading code in a code reading club or session without an IDE, as well as common strategies to navigate a new codebase and familiarise ourselves with the code using the IDE.

Transcript

1. Reading Code JavaForum Nord - September 12th, 2023 https://maritvandijk.com/
2. Reading Code Introduction • We spend more time reading code than writing code
3. Reading Code Introduction We read code when: • adding or changing functionality • fi xing bugs • understanding a new code base • doing code reviews • learning new technologies • etc.
4. Reading Code Introduction "developers on average spend as much as 58% of their time comprehending existing source code" - Felienne Hermans, The Programmer's Brain
5. Reading Code Introduction • We spend more time reading code than writing code • But we don't practice reading code explicitly (much)
6. Reading Code Introduction • What if we practice reading code explicitly?
7. Reading Code Introduction "How to teach programming (and other things)?" by Felienne Hermans https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1ib43q3uXQ
8. Reading Code Introduction • Code Reading Club https://codereading.club/
9. Reading Code Introduction • Printed code • Structured exercises
10. Reading Code Introduction • So many insights!
11. Reading Code Introduction • But what about the IDE?
12. Reading Code Introduction • Let's look at various strategies for di ff erent tasks
13. Reading Code Introduction
14. Reading Code Agenda • The bigger picture • Understanding a codebase • and it's context • Down to the details • Find a place to start • Search • Navigate from there • Understanding a speci fi c piece of code • Hints from your IDE • Exercises for deliberate practice
15. Reading Code The bigger picture
16. Reading Code The bigger picture • Onboarding to a new team / code base
17. Reading Code The bigger picture • What does the code do?
18. Reading Code The bigger picture • What is the context?
19. Reading Code The bigger picture • Background knowledge • Business domain • Programming domain
20. Reading Code The bigger picture • Read the documentation! • Do some research
21. Reading Code The bigger picture • Take notes!
22. Reading Code The bigger picture • Draw your own diagrams • Write down questions (and fi nd answers) • Write down suggestions (maybe)
23. Reading Code The bigger picture Strategies: • Identify components • Identify relationships / dependencies • Identify concepts
24. Reading Code The bigger picture Science: • Chunking
25. Reading Code The bigger picture But fi rst: • Check out the code • See if you can build it
26. Demo time: The big picture
27. README Project tool window Dependency Matrix Diagrams
28. Reading Code Down to the details
29. Reading Code Down to the details • Find a starting point
30. Reading Code Down to the details • Search
31. Reading Code Down to the details • Navigate
32. Demo time: Down to the details
33. Find a starting point Search Navigate
34. Reading Code Understanding a piece of code
35. Reading Code Understanding a piece of code • Structured exercises • Code Reading Club Starter Kit • The Programmer's Brain - Felienne Hermans
36. Reading Code Understanding a piece of code • Syntax
37. Reading Code Understanding a piece of code • Structure
38. Reading Code Understanding a piece of code • Restructure
39. Reading Code Understanding a piece of code • Behavior
40. Reading Code Understanding a piece of code • Context
41. Demo time: Understanding a piece of code
42. Syntax highlighting & other hints Structure / Restructure Behavior Context
43. Reading code Summary • Clone & build project • Components & Concepts • Relationships / Dependencies • Find a place to start • Search • Navigate • Find a way to start • Structured exercises • Syntax • Structure / Restructure • Behavior • Context
44. Reading Code Next steps • What's next?
45. Reading code Slides & More https://maritvandijk.com/presentations/reading-code/