Be A Better Software Developer

Gerard Sychay

4/6/2014 

Who Am I?


Gerard Sychay

 

How Do You Write Better Software?



It depends.

Thanks!


Gerard Sychay
Differential
Revolution UC

Just kidding...

There are no absolutes
(except for source control).

But Seriously...


  1. Better code
  2. Better processes
  3. Better habits



 Better Code 

Better Code

function login()
{    $username = request('username');    $password = request('password');
    $sql = "SELECT * FROM USERS             WHERE username = '$username' AND password = encrypt('$password')";
    $user = mysql_query($sql);    if ($user) {        return redirect('/dashboard');    }
    else {        throw new Error("Username or password not correct!");    }}

Better Code

function login()
{    $username = request('username');    $password = request('password');
    $sql = "SELECT * FROM USERS             WHERE username = '$username' AND password = encrypt('$password')";
    $user = mysql_query($sql);    if ($user) {        return redirect('/dashboard');    }
    else {        throw new Error("Username or password not correct!");    }}

Better Code

function login()
{    $username = request('username');    $password = request('password');
    $sql = "SELECT * FROM USERS             WHERE username = '$username' AND password = encrypt('$password')";
    $user = Database::get()->query($sql);    if ($user) {        return redirect('/dashboard');
    }
    else {        throw new Error("Username or password not correct!");    }}

Better Code

function login()
{    $username = request('username');    $password = request('password');
    $user = Authenticator::get()->authenticate($username, $password);
    if ($user) {        return redirect('/dashboard');
    }
    else {        throw new Error("Username or password not correct!");    }}

Better Code

function login($authenticator)
{    $username = request('username');    $password = request('password');
    $user = $authenticator->authenticate($username, $password);
    if ($user) {        return redirect('/dashboard');
    }
    else {        throw new Error("Username or password not correct!");    }}

Better Code

class Authenticator {    function authenticate($username, $password) {        return ($password === "realpassword");    }}
// Test Login
function testLogin() {
    assertError(login("gerard", "wrongpassword"));    assertTrue(login("gerard", "realpassword"));
}

Better Code


  • Separation of Concerns
  • Single Responsibility Principle
  • Dependency Injection

Keep your interfaces clean.


Decouple your logic.


Better Code


Keep your interfaces clean.
Decouple your logic.


  • Maintain
  • Extend
  • Test


Better Code



Hold on!



Use the simplest solution, until you feel pain.



 Better Processes 

Better Processes


Better Processes


Better Processes


Communication


trumps

  • Documentation
  • Planning
  • Processes

Better Process


  • Static Analysis
    (lint, cyclomatic complexity)
  • Automated Testing
    (unit, functional, acceptance)

  • Automated Deployment

  • Source Control



 Better Habits 

Better Habits


"If you're not breaking things, you're not moving fast enough."

- Mark Zuckerberg, CEO Facebook

Better Habits


He who ships, wins.

 
<img src="...">

Better Habits


What makes software successful?


If it's useful.


Ask yourself:

  1. Why are they doing this?
  2. Am I making it easier or faster?

Better Habits


"In god we trust. All others bring data."

- W. Edwards Deming

Habits to form:

  1. Meet the user.
  2. Watch them work.
  3. Communicate frequently.

Better Habits


  • Participate in a community
  • Always be learning

  • Always be sharing

  • Learn to explain technical things to
    non-technical people.

You Are Lucky To Be A Software Developer


  1. See the results of your craft very quickly.

  2. That which you produce is inherently shareable – it's just text. 

Thanks!


Gerard Sychay     @hellogerard

      differential.io

Full-time Meteor shop

Startup Studio

Now accepting resumés!


Be A Better Software Developer

By Gerard Sychay

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Be A Better Software Developer

Better code, better processes, better habits.

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