7 Clean Code Principles That Make You a Better Developer

Clean code isn't about being clever - it's about being clear. Here are 7 principles that will level up your code quality.

1. Meaningful Names

Variables and functions should describe what they do. getUserAge() is better than getUA(). Spend time naming things well - it saves time reading code later.

2. Functions Should Do One Thing

If your function name contains 'and', it's probably doing too much. Split it. A function that validates AND saves data should be two functions.

3. Avoid Magic Numbers

Replace if (status === 3) with if (status === STATUS_ACTIVE). Constants make code self-documenting.

4. DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself)

If you're copying and pasting code, extract it into a function. But be careful - premature abstraction is worse than duplication. Wait until you see the pattern three times.

5. Keep Functions Short

If a function doesn't fit on your screen, it's too long. Aim for 10-20 lines. This naturally enforces the single responsibility principle.

6. Handle Errors Gracefully

Don't just catch and ignore errors. Log them, show meaningful messages to users, and fail gracefully. Silent failures are the worst bugs to debug.

7. Write Tests

Tests are documentation that verify your code works. Start with the critical paths. Even a few tests are infinitely better than zero tests.

Remember

You read code 10x more often than you write it. Optimize for readability, not cleverness.