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Code Smell 06 – Trying to Be a Clever Programmer

ziapirzada2 weeks ago

0 4 2 minutes read

Code Smell 06 – Trying to Be a Clever Programmer

Code is hard to read when you use tricky names with no semantics or rely on accidental language complexity.

TL;DR: Don’t try to look too smart. Clean code emphasizes readability and simplicity.

Problems 😔

Readability
Maintainability
Code Quality
Premature Optimization

Solutions 😃

Refactor the code
Use good names
Refactor tricky code
Prefer clarity first
Avoid hidden tricks
Optimize only later with strong real evidence

Refactorings ⚙️

https://hackernoon.com/refactoring-005-replace-comment-with-function-name?embedable=true

Examples

Optimized loops

Context 💬

You might feel the urge to show off your skills with complex tricks or cryptic names.

This makes your code harder to read, debug, and extend.

You must remember that you write code for humans, not machines.

Sample Code 📖

Wrong 🚫

function primeFactors(n) {
  var f = [],  i = 0, d = 2;  

  for (i = 0; n >= 2; ) {
     if(n % d == 0) {
       f[i++]=(d); 
       n /= d;
    }
    else {
      d++;
    }     
  }
  return f;
}

Right 👉

function primeFactors(numberToFactor) {
  var factors = [], 
      divisor = 2,
      remainder = numberToFactor;

  while(remainder>=2) {
    if(remainder % divisor === 0) {
       factors.push(divisor); 
       remainder = remainder / divisor;
    }
    else {
      divisor++;
    }     
  }
  return factors;
}

Detection 🔍

[x] Semi-Automatic

Automatic detection is possible in some languages.

Look for warnings about complexity, bad names, post-increment variables, and similar patterns.

Exceptions 🛑

Optimized code for low-level operations.

Tags 🏷️

Complexity

Level 🔋

Intermediate

Why the Bijection Is Important 🗺️

When you keep a clear bijection between your program and the MAPPER.

Other developers and your future self can understand it quickly.

Clever tricks break this mapping and force future readers to guess instead of reading.

AI Generation 🤖

AI models sometimes generate clever one-liners or compressed solutions.

They might look smart but lack readability and semantics.

AI Detection 🧲

AI assistants can rewrite clever code into readable code if you instruct them to prefer clarity to optimization.

Try Them! 🛠

Remember: AI Assistants make lots of mistakes

Suggested Prompt: correct=Remove cleverness from code

Conclusion 🏁

Clever developers write cryptic code to brag.

Smart developers write clean code.

Clear beats clever.

Relations 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨

https://hackernoon.com/code-smell-02-dont-let-mysterious-numbers-rule-your-code

https://hackernoon.com/how-to-find-the-stinky-parts-of-your-code-part-iv-7sc3w8n

https://hackernoon.com/how-to-find-the-stinky-parts-of-your-code-part-ix-7rr33ol

https://hackernoon.com/how-to-find-the-stinky-parts-of-your-code-part-xvi

https://hackernoon.com/how-to-find-the-stinky-parts-of-your-code-part-xi-sit35t1

https://hackernoon.com/how-to-find-the-stinky-parts-of-your-code-part-vii-8dk31x0

https://hackernoon.com/how-to-find-the-stinky-parts-of-your-code-part-x-i7r34uj

https://hackernoon.com/how-to-find-the-stinky-parts-of-your-code-part-xxxx

https://hackernoon.com/how-to-find-the-stinky-parts-of-your-code-part-v-evj3zs9

https://hackernoon.com/how-to-find-the-stinky-parts-of-your-code-part-xix

https://hackernoon.com/how-to-find-the-stinky-parts-of-your-code-part-xxix

https://hackernoon.com/how-to-find-the-stinky-parts-of-your-code-part-xliii

https://hackernoon.com/how-to-find-the-stinky-parts-of-your-code-part-xxxvi

https://hackernoon.com/how-to-find-the-stinky-parts-of-your-code-part-xxvi

https://hackernoon.com/how-to-find-the-stinky-parts-of-your-code-part-vii-8dk31x0

https://hackernoon.com/how-to-find-the-stinky-parts-of-your-code-part-v-evj3zs9

https://hackernoon.com/how-to-find-the-stinky-parts-of-your-code-part-xiv

More Information 📕

https://ardalis.com/are-boolean-flags-on-methods-a-code-smell/?embedable=true

Also Known as

Obfuscator

Credits 🙏

Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash

Programming can be fun, so can cryptography; however they should not be combined.

Kreitzberg & Shneiderman

https://hackernoon.com/400-thought-provoking-software-engineering-quotes

This article is part of the CodeSmell Series.

https://hackernoon.com/how-to-find-the-stinky-parts-of-your-code-part-i-xqz3evd?embedable=true