Code Quality Debate

Discussions center on whether code is 'bad' or acceptable, the ubiquity of imperfect code in production, and debates over standards for good code versus functional code.

➡️ Stable 0.7x Other
6,522
Comments
20
Years Active
5
Top Authors
#2178
Topic ID

Activity Over Time

2007
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Keywords

SCM e.g CRUD POC IS CODE FizzBuzz PR DJB TEACHING code bad code good code code quality bad quality code isn code code programmers write

Sample Comments

mattkenefick Aug 26, 2023 View on HN

Sounds like you've been surrounded with bad code all your life. This isn't true.

okonomiyaki3000 Jul 19, 2016 View on HN

Code is never "good enough", code is only ever "less in need of fixing than other code."

jacobparker Dec 14, 2013 View on HN

I suggest caring less about code being "bad".

yrizos Dec 17, 2021 View on HN

It's not uncommon for programmers - even for the great ones - to produce code that looks like it was written by non-programmers...

rep_movsd Jan 14, 2022 View on HN

Most code in the world is crap code, so don't worry, putting it out there lets people make it better

cunac Apr 11, 2013 View on HN

"I don't know how people can still write coherent code at that point." - they don't and that is a problem

IshKebab Sep 21, 2018 View on HN

That doesn't mean their code is necessarily nice.

nirai Sep 23, 2012 View on HN

I think he meant that it is better not to worry about the code since it will stink no matter what you do...

onemoresoop Jan 14, 2025 View on HN

It seems like nobody cares about the code quality, it just has to work until the conpany is acquired

Zetobal Nov 16, 2023 View on HN

People also produce really ugly code.