How often do you think, “This code is unreadable!” while trying to understand code that someone else wrote? A lot of things can contribute to unreadable code. Sometimes it’s simply a matter of what you’re used to. Other times, code can be made more readable just by rearranging its structure. Tools Ever been involved in […]

Single-page web apps are an ideal environment for close designer/developer collaboration. Developers often lack the intricate knowledge of CSS and HTML layouts they need to implement a designer’s work as first imagined. Fortunately, many designers have experience with front-end web development. Cooperation between these two “teams” yields faster implementation of designs that represent the designer’s […]

As developers, we commonly get asked to review codebases for existing software applications. The common thinking is that a skilled developer can simply: “give a look” to the existing codebase, provide an expert opinion on their ability to extend the application, and provide some level of certainty around the costs associated with new functionality. This […]

On your project, what does “run the tests” mean? What about “add a feature?” “Fix a bug?” When passed through the brain of someone on your team, these phrases bloom into specific things — a command that you run in the Terminal on a developer’s laptop, a process that you follow to add new functionality […]

If you’ve been programming for a while, there’s a good chance that you’ve worked on a project without a suite of automated tests. At Atomic Object, we’re regularly hired to enhance existing codebases. Before starting on any new features, we often take the time to retroactively add automated tests. Having a full suite of automated […]

When diving into an unfamiliar codebase, it’s tempting to pick one aspect and start exploring it in detail. But that’s like trying to navigate a forest by dissecting a tree. I’ve had to find my way around a few legacy codebases over the last few years. And I’ve learned to start with the 10,000-foot view, […]

I want the code I write to be as easy to follow as possible, and proper documentation is key to accomplishing that. Documentation’s role isn’t to give a full explanation of what the code is doing. Instead, it’s a tool for setting up context. It should give other developers the confidence to move through the […]

At Atomic Object, we work in a lot of existing codebases, editing code written by previous consultants, employees of the client organization, and sometimes even other Atomic developers. The older the codebase, the more inconsistency you’ll find in pattern, style, and organization. This, of course, makes jumping in to do additional work more difficult. I […]