C++ Language: Comments

Comments in C++ or any other programming language are explanatory statements you can include in your code. They explain what is happening in your code or tell the story of the program.

Comments are intended for other developers in the team, people who will maintain the code, and the author himself. Comments boost collaboration, it helps other developers in your team understand your code that they might have to work or add to it. The people responsible for maintaining the software also seek assistance from your comments to understand what is going on, this helps them and makes things easier for them. Another purpose of comments is when you the author have to come back to the part of code after some time, comments remind you of what code you have written in the past and why.

Comments are a great tool to use in debugging. They can prevent the execution of some part(s) of the code without completely erasing your code. This prevents the loss of code that might or might not be useful. Code commenting is particularly effective during debugging because it allows you to:

• Temporarily disable problematic sections
• Test different implementations
• Preserve original code while trying alternatives
• Track changes made during troubleshooting

A comment in C++ is a programmer-readable statement within the source code. It is ignored by the compiler. And does not affect the final program, it is solely to aid human understanding.

Types of Comments

Single Line Comments

The single-line comments as the name suggests are for commenting single line of code/comment. The single-line comment starts with //. Anything after the double slash and before the end of the line is ignored during code execution.

Multi-Line Comment

Multi-line comments or block comments are for writing comments that are longer than a single line. They start with /* and end with */, anything between the two is ignored by the compiler.

Best Practices for Writing Comments

• Keep Comments Concise and Relevant: Avoid writing unnecessary or overly long comments. Keep them to the point.
• Use Comments to Explain Why, Not What: Good code should be self-explanatory. Comments should clarify intent rather than describing the obvious.
• Update Comments When Code Changes: Outdated comments can be misleading. Make sure comments are updated when modifying code.
• Maintain consistent formatting

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Over-commenting: Adding too many comments can clutter the code and make it harder to read and understand. Also, try to avoid redundancy in your comments
• Using comments to explain poor code: Instead of commenting bad code, refactor/improve it for clarity
• Writing vague comments: Ensure comments are specific, clear, and provide meaningful context. If clarity is not present, then comments start to lose their purpose

Effective comments enhance code readability and maintainability. By following best practices, such as keeping comments concise, explaining intent, and updating comments when necessary, developers can write cleaner and more understandable C++ programs. Always remember, that good code with meaningful comments is easier to work with and maintain over time!

One of my favorite quotes is by John Woods, “Always code as if the guy who ends up maintaining your code will be a violent psychopath who knows where you live”. ??

Stay Motivated, Keep Experimenting, and Keep Learning

Happy Coding! ????

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