Clean Code and Being A Clean Coder

A 2017 talk delivered at Tech In Asia Jakarta while serving as CTO of UrbanIndo.com. The talk explores the difference between bad and clean code, breaking down common mistakes (meaningless names, unused code, bloated methods/classes, inconsistent formatting, duplication, untested code) and the compounding productivity cost they create over time. It also examines why developers avoid writing clean code despite knowing better — from time pressure to ego to unclear ownership — before walking through practical tools and practices: TDD, code review, static analysis, pair programming, and CI/CD.

The second half shifts from code to craft, framing "being a clean coder" as software craftsmanship: passion, career ownership, deliberate practice, and the Boy Scout Rule, alongside the ethics of time management, negotiation, and collaboration. It closes by connecting Software Craftsmanship to the Agile Manifesto, presenting craftsmanship as "raising the bar" beyond Agile's four values — well-crafted software, steadily added value, a community of professionals, and productive partnerships.

📚 References include: The Pragmatic Programmer, Clean Code, The Clean Coder, and The Software Craftsman by Robert C. Martin and others.

Transcript

1. 1 Clean Code and Being A Clean Coder Petra Novandi Barus Tech In Asia Jakarta 2017
2. 2 2 HI THERE! Chief Technology Officer UrbanIndo.com (Nov 2011 - now) I am Petra Novandi Barus petrabarus
3. 3 WHAT IS BAD CODE?
4. 4 4 COMMON MISTAKES MEANINGLESS NAMES UNUSED CODE LONG METHOD / CLASS BAD / INCONSISTENT FORMATTING CODE DUPLICATIONS MEANINGLESS COMMENTS NOT TESTED
5. 5 5 COST OF MAINTAINING BAD CODE Productivity Time
6. 6 WHAT IS CLEAN CODE?
7. 7 7 CLEAN CODE ELEGANT EFFICIENT SIMPLE STRAIGHTFORWARD READABLE CLEAR AUTOMATICALLY TESTED WRITTEN BY SOMEONE WHO REALLY CARED
8. 8 WHY SHOULD PROGRAMMERS WRITE CLEAN CODE?
9. 9 9 WHY SHOULD PROGRAMMERS WRITE CLEAN CODE? EASY TO READ EASY TO CHANGE EASY FOR NEW TEAM MEMBER TO ONBOARD BROKEN WINDOW PRINCIPLE
10. 10 10 COST OF MAINTAINING BAD CODE VS CLEAN CODE Productivity Time
11. 11 WHY DON’T PROGRAMMERS WRITE CLEAN CODE?
12. 12 12 REASON #1 WE DON’T HAVE F*** TIME!
13. 13 13 OTHER REASONS I DON’T WRITE THAT CODE I AM ROCKSTAR PROGRAMMER, ALWAYS RIGHT I DON’T KNOW HOW TO DO IT IT’S NOT MY JOB, IT’S OTHER PEOPLE’S JOB
14. 14 TOOLS & BEST PRACTICES
15. 15 15 TOOLS & BEST PRACTICES TEST DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT CODE REVIEWING STATIC CODE ANALYSIS PAIR PROGRAMMING CONTINUOUS INTEGRATION / CONTINUOUS DELIVERY
16. 16 BEING A CLEAN CODER (SOFTWARE CRAFTSMAN)
17. 17 SOFTWARE CRAFTSMANSHIP ATTITUDE PASSION CAREER OWNERSHIP PRACTICE AND PRACTICE BOY SCOUT RULE
18. 18 18 ETHICS TIME MANAGEMENT NEGOTIATION COLLABORATION SAYING YES, SAYING NO
19. 19 GROWING SOFTWARE CRAFTSMANS
20. 20 20 GROWING A CULTURE OF SOFTWARE CRAFTSMANSHIP COMMUNICATE TEAM GOAL INTRODUCE TEAM TO THE STAKEHOLDERS GIVE ROOM TO LEARN FROM MISTAKES HELP THE TEAM TO IMPROVE UNDERSTAND TEAM WANT TO DELIVER QUALITY GIVE THE TEAM RESPONSIBILITY APPRENTICESHIP
21. 21 SOFTWARE CRAFTSMANSHIP & AGILE MOVEMENT (Just A Quick Review)
22. 22 22 The Agile Manifesto INDIVIDUALS AND INTERACTIONS WORKING SOFTWARE CUSTOMER COLLABORATION RESPONDING TO CHANGE OVER PROCESSES AND TOOLS OVER COMPREHENSIVE DOCUMENTATIONS OVER CONTRACT NEGOTIATION OVER FOLLOWING PLANS
23. 23 23 Software Craftsmanship Manifesto NOT ONLY WORKING SOFTWARE NOT ONLY RESPONDING TO CHANGE NOT ONLY INDIVIDUALS AND INTERACTIONS NOT ONLY CUSTOMER COLLABORATION BUT ALSO WELL-CRAFTED SOFTWARE BUT ALSO STEADILY ADDING VALUE BUT ALSO A COMMUNITY OF PROFESSIONALS BUT ALSO PRODUCTIVE PARTNERSHIPS RAISING THE BAR
24. 24 24 REFERENCES
25. 25 THANK YOU!!