• xmunk@sh.itjust.works
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    2 years ago

    Commenting well is a highly advanced skill. I generally prefer no comments on code since it’s less likely to confuse people and I’ll merrily purge auto-doc comments and anything like

    // getId() returns an id

    That comment has negative value.

    • Platypus@sh.itjust.works
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      2 years ago

      In my experience refactoring lots and lots of crappy code left by devs long gone, a dev who can write useful comments is by and large a dev who can write code clean and simple enough not to need them. If the code doesn’t have informative names and clear separation of concern, chances are a comment won’t help because the dev didn’t really know what they did that worked in the first place.

      • MagicShel@programming.dev
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        2 years ago

        Generally, yes. However I have been known to document exactly why I’m doing something incredibly stupid - because it’s required but a stupid third party library which, despite being awful, is still better than implementing it myself as a refactor.

      • Bappity@lemmy.world
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        2 years ago

        a dev who can write useful comments is by and large a dev who can write code clean and simple enough not to need them.

        my boss is great in this regard and also always has to keep reminding us to write unit tests 😅