Striking the Balance: Code Comments vs. Self-Explanatory Code

As aptly stated by Lt. Jef Raskin,

"An interface is humane if it is responsive to human needs and considerate of human frailties."

We wholeheartedly agree. Yet, to create user-friendly interfaces, dedicated teams toil tirelessly behind the scenes. Among these crucial members are developers, who diligently craft endless lines of code, ensuring technology's accessibility to all. However, sometimes developers themselves become lost amidst these intricate lines of code, highlighting the necessity of thorough code documentation.

Documentation takes on diverse forms, including #inline explanations, code-embedded comments, #README files, #Version Control Commit Messages, and even #self-explanatory code structures. This article delves into both #code #comments and the concept of self-documenting code. We will explore how, despite their differences, they come together to strike the #balance required to write powerful code documentation

Code Comments and Self-Explanatory Code:

As discussed in our previous article, code comments are #textual annotations added to code. The primary goal of writing comments in code is to provide additional context, explanations, or insights that help #developers understand the code's functionality, logic, and intent.

On the other hand, self-explanatory code emphasizes making the code itself inherently understandable through well-chosen variable names, clear function and method definitions, and an #organized code structure. The #goal is to make the code so clear that comments and external documentation become unnecessary.

The Differences and the Similarities:

Consider a simple example to understand the differences and similarities:

Differences:

1. ?Purpose and content :

???- Code Comments: Explicit textual explanations addressing #complexity, context, and intent.

???- Self-Explanatory Code: Implicit clarity through meticulous naming and structure, #minimizing the reliance on comments.

2. Method:

???- Code Comments: Textual explanations(such as calculate user tax for personal use in the above example) within code using specific syntax.?

???- Self-Explanatory Code: Focuses on using clear variable/function names (like user_tax, calculate_tax, user_income) and organized code structure to make the code understandable.

3. Focus on ‘whys’:

???- Code Comments: Explaining code's need, complex logic, or uncommon behavior

???- Self-Explanatory Code: Despite clear naming, a comment may still be required for rationale behind complex logic.

Similarities:

1. Objective:

??Though different, both techniques have the common aim of enhancing code readability and understanding for developers. If combined correctly, they embody elegance and clarity, making navigation through the code effortless.

2. Debugging:

Both methods prove their utility during #debugging. Code comments provide insights into logic and intent, while well-structured self-explanatory code simplifies the process by presenting a clear and debug-friendly structure.

While both code comments and self-explanatory code serve the common goal of making code more understandable, they approach it from different angles. In practice, a balanced approach is often ideal: use comments when complex logic or uncommon behavior needs explanation, while striving for self-explanatory code by using clear naming conventions, logical structuring, and easily understandable code patterns. Their harmony is the key to making a developer’s life hassle-free and, hence, ensuring a humane interface.