How do you check code before submitting for a programming assessment?

1 Review the instructions

The first step is to review the instructions and guidelines for the assessment carefully. Make sure you understand what the problem is, what the input and output formats are, what the time and space constraints are, and what the grading criteria are. If anything is unclear, ask for clarification or feedback from the instructor or interviewer. Don't assume anything or skip any details that might affect your code quality and performance.

2 Test your code

The second step is to test your code thoroughly and debug any errors or bugs. You can use various tools and techniques to test your code, such as unit tests, integration tests, code coverage, debugging tools, or manual testing. Try to test your code with different inputs, edge cases, and scenarios. Make sure your code produces the expected output and handles any exceptions or errors gracefully. Don't rely on your intuition or guesswork to verify your code.

3 Refactor your code

The third step is to refactor your code and improve its readability, maintainability, and efficiency. You can use various principles and practices to refactor your code, such as naming conventions, comments, indentation, modularization, abstraction, or design patterns. Try to make your code clear, concise, consistent, and coherent. Avoid any unnecessary or redundant code, magic numbers, hard-coded values, or long and complex functions. Don't sacrifice quality for speed or brevity.

4 Review your code

The fourth step is to review your code and check for any errors, inconsistencies, or improvements. You can use various tools and techniques to review your code, such as code analysis, code review, code style, or code formatting. Try to find and fix any issues or violations that might affect your code quality and performance. Make sure your code follows the best practices and standards of the programming language and the assessment. Don't ignore any warnings or suggestions from the tools or reviewers.

5 Document your code

The fifth step is to document your code and explain its logic, functionality, and assumptions. You can use various tools and techniques to document your code, such as comments, docstrings, annotations, or diagrams. Try to make your code self-explanatory, but also provide any additional information or clarification that might help the evaluator understand your code. Make sure your documentation is accurate, relevant, and consistent with your code. Don't overdo or underdo your documentation.