How do you use code comments to improve JavaScript library maintainability?

1 Use a consistent style

Choose a code comment style that suits your project and stick to it throughout your library. For example, you can use single-line comments (//) for short explanations, and multi-line comments (/* */) for longer descriptions or documentation. You can also use a tool like JSDoc to generate documentation from your code comments, using tags and annotations to specify parameters, types, returns, and examples. A consistent style makes your code comments more readable and easier to update.

3 Avoid outdated or redundant comments

Code comments should reflect the current state and behavior of your code. If you make any changes to your code, make sure to update or remove any affected comments as well. Otherwise, you risk creating confusion, errors, or inconsistencies in your library. Similarly, avoid commenting on obvious or self-explanatory code, such as variable names, function names, or syntax. Redundant comments add clutter and noise to your code, and make it harder to focus on the essential information.

4 Use code comments to mark TODOs and FIXMEs

Code comments can also be used to mark tasks or issues that need to be addressed in your library. For example, you can use TODO comments to indicate features or enhancements that you plan to implement in the future, or FIXME comments to indicate bugs or errors that you need to fix. These comments can help you keep track of your progress and priorities, and communicate them to other developers. However, make sure to resolve or remove these comments once they are no longer relevant, and avoid leaving them in your production code.

5 Review and refactor your code comments regularly

Code comments are not a substitute for clean and maintainable code. They should complement and support your code, not compensate for its flaws. Therefore, you should review and refactor your code comments regularly, along with your code, to ensure that they are clear, accurate, and useful. You can also use tools like ESLint or Prettier to check and format your code and code comments, and enforce a consistent style and quality. Reviewing and refactoring your code comments can help you improve your JavaScript library maintainability and reliability.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?