Refactoring In Large Software Projects

Large Refactorings looks at methods of establish design improvements as an important and independent activity during development of software, and will help to ensure that software continues to adapt, improve and remain easy to read and modify without altering its observable behaviour. It provides real-world experience from real refactored projects and shows how to refactor software to ensure that it is efficient, fresh and adaptable.

Refactoring is gaining momentum amongst the object oriented programming community. It can transform the internal dynamics of applications and has the capacity to transform bad code into good code. This book offers an introduction to refactoring.

The book describes how to manage and successfully deliver large, complex, and expensive systems that can be composed of millions of line of software code, being developed by numerous groups throughout the globe, that interface with many hardware items being developed by geographically dispersed companies, where the system also includes people, policies, constraints, regulations, and a myriad of other factors. It focuses on how to seamlessly integrate systems, satisfy the customer’s requirements, and deliver within the budget and on time. The guide is essentially a “shopping list” of all the activities that could be conducted with tailoring guidelines to meet the needs of each project.

Good software design is simple and easy to understand. Unfortunately, the average computer program today is so complex that no one could possibly comprehend how all the code works. This concise guide helps you understand the fundamentals of good design through scientific laws—principles you can apply to any programming language or project from here to eternity. Whether you’re a junior programmer, senior software engineer, or non-technical manager, you’ll learn how to create a sound plan for your software project, and make better decisions about the pattern and structure of your system. Discover why good software design has become the missing science Understand the ultimate purpose of software and the goals of good design Determine the value of your design now and in the future Examine real-world examples that demonstrate how a system changes over time Create designs that allow for the most change in the environment with the least change in the software Make easier changes in the future by keeping your code simpler now Gain better knowledge of your software’s behavior with more accurate tests

Summary The Mikado Method is a book written by the creators of this process. It describes a pragmatic, straightforward, and empirical method to plan and perform non-trivial technical improvements on an existing software system. The method has simple rules, but the applicability is vast. As you read, you'll practice a step-by-step system for identifying the scope and nature of your technical debt, mapping the key dependencies, and determining the safest way to approach the "Mikado"—your goal. About the Technology The game "pick-up sticks" is a good metaphor for the Mikado Method. You eliminate "technical debt" —the legacy problems embedded in nearly every software system— by following a set of easy-to-implement rules. You carefully extract each intertwined dependency until you expose the central issue, without collapsing the project. About the Book The Mikado Method presents a pragmatic process to plan and perform nontrivial technical improvements on an existing software system. The book helps you practice a step-by-step system for identifying the scope and nature of your technical debt, mapping the key dependencies, and determining a safe way to approach the "Mikado"—your goal. A natural by-product of this process is the Mikado Graph, a roadmap that reflects deep understanding of how your system works. This book builds on agile processes such as refactoring, TDD, and rapid feedback. It requires no special hardware or software and can be practiced by both small and large teams. Purchase of the print book includes a free eBook in PDF, Kindle, and ePub formats from Manning Publications. What's Inside Understand your technical debt Surface the dependencies in legacy systems Isolate and resolve core concerns while creating minimal disruption Create a roadmap for your changes About the Authors Ola Ellnestam and Daniel Brolund are developers, coaches, and team leaders. They developed the Mikado Method in response to years of experience resolving technical debt in complex legacy systems. Table of Contents PART 1 THE BASICS OF THE MIKADO METHOD Meet the Mikado Method Hello, Mikado Method! Goals, graphs, and guidelines Organizing your work PART 2 PRINCIPLES AND PATTERNS FOR IMPROVING SOFTWARE Breaking up a monolith Emergent design Common restructuring patterns

Making significant changes to large, complex codebases is a daunting task--one that's nearly impossible to do successfully unless you have the right team, tools, and mindset. If your application is in need of a substantial overhaul and you're unsure how to go about implementing those changes in a sustainable way, then this book is for you. Software engineer Maude Lemaire walks you through the entire refactoring process from start to finish. You'll learn from her experience driving performance and refactoring efforts at Slack during a period of critical growth, including two case studies illustrating the impact these techniques can have in the real world. This book will help you achieve a newfound ability to productively introduce important changes in your codebase. Understand how code degrades and why some degradation is inevitable Quantify and qualify the state of your codebase before refactoring Draft a well-scoped execution plan with strategic milestones Win support from engineering leadership Build and coordinate a team best suited for the project Communicate effectively inside and outside your team Adopt best practices for successfully executing the refactor

Get more out of your legacy systems: more performance, functionality, reliability, and manageability Is your code easy to change? Can you get nearly instantaneous feedback when you do change it? Do you understand it? If the answer to any of these questions is no, you have legacy code, and it is draining time and money away from your development efforts. In this book, Michael Feathers offers start-to-finish strategies for working more effectively with large, untested legacy code bases. This book draws on material Michael created for his renowned Object Mentor seminars: techniques Michael has used in mentoring to help hundreds of developers, technical managers, and testers bring their legacy systems under control. The topics covered include Understanding the mechanics of software change: adding features, fixing bugs, improving design, optimizing performance Getting legacy code into a test harness Writing tests that protect you against introducing new problems Techniques that can be used with any language or platform—with examples in Java, C++, C, and C# Accurately identifying where code changes need to be made Coping with legacy systems that aren't object-oriented Handling applications that don't seem to have any structure This book also includes a catalog of twenty-four dependency-breaking techniques that help you work with program elements in isolation and make safer changes.

It’s been said that software is eating the planet. The modern economy—the world itself—relies on technology. Demand for the people who can produce it far outweighs the supply. So why do developers occupy largely subordinate roles in the corporate structure? Developer Hegemony explores the past, present, and future of the corporation and what it means for developers. While it outlines problems with the modern corporate structure, it’s ultimately a play-by-play of how to leave the corporate carnival and control your own destiny. And it’s an emboldening, specific vision of what software development looks like in the world of developer hegemony—one where developers band together into partner firms of “efficiencers,” finally able to command the pay, respect, and freedom that’s earned by solving problems no one else can. Developers, if you grow tired of being treated like geeks who can only be trusted to take orders and churn out code, consider this your call to arms. Bring about the autonomous future that’s rightfully yours. It’s time for developer hegemony.