Code Readability Debate

The cluster discusses the importance of code readability over terseness, cleverness, and ease of writing, emphasizing that code is read more often than written and should prioritize maintainability and comprehension.

📉 Falling 0.5x Programming Languages
7,196
Comments
20
Years Active
5
Top Authors
#2580
Topic ID

Activity Over Time

2007
21
2008
62
2009
145
2010
178
2011
225
2012
305
2013
338
2014
399
2015
340
2016
458
2017
428
2018
424
2019
521
2020
581
2021
635
2022
535
2023
592
2024
483
2025
484
2026
42

Keywords

APL readability code readable read line arcane writing python apl maintainability

Sample Comments

StreamBright May 2, 2020 View on HN

Code readability is massively underrated.

pluc Jan 21, 2025 View on HN

It's not about understanding, it's about readability.

imranhou Jan 28, 2019 View on HN

It looks like this one is sacrificing readability for unnecessary terseness.

davexunit Dec 15, 2016 View on HN

Can we stop assuming that only the syntaxes we are accustomed to are the only "readable" options?

pjmlp Mar 19, 2021 View on HN

Code is read more than written, readability matters.

lupire Dec 22, 2021 View on HN

Reading code is harder than writing. It's good to make writing harder so reading is easier.

mixmastamyk Jul 25, 2021 View on HN

Readability, maintainability, etc. if that matters to you.

xigoi May 13, 2023 View on HN

Because readability is more important than writeability.

mscarborough Oct 23, 2009 View on HN

'being smart' != 'reason to reduce readability'

shogun21 Nov 19, 2015 View on HN

Code readability trumps cleverness.