You execute code. Move to the other stuff, and continue with the previous code
TL;DR: Don't mix your train of thought
Problems
Readability
Bad Scoping
Solutions
Move the code close together
Try to extract the method
Refactorings
Context
Entangled code is related beyond time and space.
You are reading the code, then skip to another subject and return to the first one.
Sample Code
Wrong
def planetary_properties(semi_major_axis,
incoming_radiation, reflected_radiation):
Gravitational_Constant = 1.0
Sun_Mass = 1.0
# Up to here, there's a preparation
# for the orbital period computation
albedo = reflected_radiation / incoming_radiation
# This is unrelated to the previous computation
# You resume the first computation
orbital_period_squared = (
(4 * math.pi**2 * semi_major_axis**3) /
(Gravitational_Constant * Sun_Mass)
)
retrun orbital_period, albedo
Right
def planetary_properties(semi_major_axis,
incoming_radiation, reflected_radiation):
Gravitational_Constant = 1.0
Sun_Mass = 1.0
orbital_period_squared = (
(4 * math.pi**2 * semi_major_axis**3) /
(Gravitational_Constant * Sun_Mass)
)
# This is related to the first computation part
albedo = reflected_radiation / incoming_radiation
# This is related to the second part
# The final solution is to break the function into two
# This is a trivial example for illustration purposes
# Things usually get more complicated and entangled
retrun orbital_period, albedo
Detection
[X] Semi-Automatic
Some linters can infer scopes and make suggestions.
Tags
- Readability
Level
[X] Beginner
AI Assistants
AI assistants suggest code without this mistake and improve this problem when asked.
Conclusion
This is a tiny tip and a short example of tidying
Relations
Disclaimer
Code Smells are my opinion.
Credits
Photo by Michael Hamments on Unsplash
Debugging is twice as hard as writing the code in the first place. Therefore, if you write the code as cleverly as possible, you are, by definition, not smart enough to debug it.
Brian Kernighan
This article is part of the CodeSmell Series.
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