Clean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftsmanship

Overview

Uncle Bob's classic on software craftsmanship. This book fundamentally changed how I think about writing code.

Core Principles

Meaningful Names

// Bad
const d = new Date();
 
// Good
const currentDate = new Date();

Names should reveal intent, avoid disinformation, and be pronounceable.

Functions

• Should be small (really small!)
• Do one thing
• One level of abstraction
• Descriptive names

Comments

"Don't comment bad code—rewrite it."

Good code should be self-documenting. Comments often become lies as code changes.

Key Takeaways

1. Leave code cleaner than you found it - The Boy Scout Rule
2. Code is read far more than it's written - Optimize for readability
3. Professionalism - Writing clean code is a matter of professional pride

My Application

Since reading this, I've become much more intentional about:

• Function naming and size
• Reducing duplication
• Writing tests first (TDD)
• Refactoring continuously

Rating: 5/5

Essential reading for any programmer. While some examples feel dated (Java-centric), the principles are timeless.