How do I avoid

Front-end tech leader

THE NEXT DEVELOPER READING MY CODE

swearing at me

Stefano Magni

Why am I here?

Weeks instead of days

Ambiguity

Cypress integration tests

TypeScript’ Discriminated Unions

Straightforward React components

Explicit State Machines

Ambiguity about what the app does

Ambiguity about data flows

Ambiguity about components

Ambiguity about domain definitions

OPINIONATED CONTENTS HERE!

What the app does from a User perspective?

Cypress Integration tests

How does the application work?

Everything is a State Machine

Explicit State Machines

Hard-to-follow

data flows

The intersection among the previous points

Navigation

Shopify connection status

Admin privileges

The intersection among the previous points

type AppStatus =
  | { status: 'showConnect' }
  | { status: 'showNonAdminError' }
  | { status: 'showSelectOrdersInstructions' }
  | // etc.

Navigation

Shopify connection status

Admin privileges

The intersection among the previous points

type AppStatus =
  | { status: 'showConnect' }
  | { status: 'showNonAdminError' }
  | { status: 'showSelectOrdersInstructions' }
  | // etc.
useEffect(() => {
  switch (currentPage) {
    case 'connect':

Navigation

Shopify connection status

Admin privileges

The intersection among the previous points

type AppStatus =
  | { status: 'showConnect' }
  | { status: 'showNonAdminError' }
  | { status: 'showSelectOrdersInstructions' }
  | // etc.
useEffect(() => {
  switch (currentPage) {
    case 'connect':
      switch (howUserNavigated('connect')) {
        // ------------------------------------------------------------------
        // SCENARIO: the server redirected the user to the connect page
        // ------------------------------------------------------------------
        case 'sentFromServer':













        // ------------------------------------------------------------------
        // SCENARIO: the user navigated directly to the connect page
        // ------------------------------------------------------------------
        case 'directNavigation':

Navigation

Shopify connection status

Admin privileges

The intersection among the previous points

type AppStatus =
  | { status: 'showConnect' }
  | { status: 'showNonAdminError' }
  | { status: 'showSelectOrdersInstructions' }
  | // etc.
useEffect(() => {
  switch (currentPage) {
    case 'connect':
      switch (howUserNavigated('connect')) {
        // ------------------------------------------------------------------
        // SCENARIO: the server redirected the user to the connect page
        // ------------------------------------------------------------------
        case 'sentFromServer':
          switch (connectStatus.status) {
            case 'notRequestedYet':
            case 'failed':




            case 'succeeded':


          }
          break

        // ------------------------------------------------------------------
        // SCENARIO: the user navigated directly to the connect page
        // ------------------------------------------------------------------
        case 'directNavigation':

Navigation

Shopify connection status

Admin privileges

The intersection among the previous points

type AppStatus =
  | { status: 'showConnect' }
  | { status: 'showNonAdminError' }
  | { status: 'showSelectOrdersInstructions' }
  | // etc.
useEffect(() => {
  switch (currentPage) {
    case 'connect':
      switch (howUserNavigated('connect')) {
        // ------------------------------------------------------------------
        // SCENARIO: the server redirected the user to the connect page
        // ------------------------------------------------------------------
        case 'sentFromServer':
          switch (connectStatus.status) {
            case 'notRequestedYet':
            case 'failed':
              // when the connect succeeds, this effect is re-triggered
              setStatus({ status: 'showConnect' })
              break

            case 'succeeded':
              setStatus({ status: 'showSelectOrdersInstructions' })
              break
          }
          break

        // ------------------------------------------------------------------
        // SCENARIO: the user navigated directly to the connect page
        // ------------------------------------------------------------------
        case 'directNavigation':
          redirectTo('home') // as a result, this effect is re-triggered
          break
      }
      break

Navigation

Shopify connection status

Admin privileges

How much is the domain precisely described?

TypeScript’ Discriminated Unions

type Order = {
  name: string
  description?: string
  at: Location
} & ({
  status: 'ready'
} | {
  status: 'inProgress'
  expectedDelivery: Date
} | {
  status: 'complete'
  expectedDelivery: Date
  deliveredOn: Date
})
type Order = {
  status: string
  name: string
  description?: string
  at?: Location
  expectedDelivery?: Date
  deliveredOn?: Date
}
type Order = {
  name: string
  description?: string
  at: Location
} & ({
  status: 'ready'
} | {
  status: 'inProgress'
  expectedDelivery: Date
} | {
  status: 'complete'
  expectedDelivery: Date
  deliveredOn: Date
})
type Order = {
  status: string
  name: string
  description?: string
  at?: Location
  expectedDelivery?: Date
  deliveredOn?: Date
}
type Order = {
  name: string
  description?: string
  at: Location
} & ({
  status: 'ready'
} | {
  status: 'inProgress'
  expectedDelivery: Date
} | {
  status: 'complete'
  expectedDelivery: Date
  deliveredOn: Date
})
type Order = {
  status: string
  name: string
  description?: string
  at?: Location
  expectedDelivery?: Date
  deliveredOn?: Date
}
function createEmailMessage(order: Order) {
 if (order.expectedDelivery) {
  return `${order.name} will be delivered on ${order.expectedDelivery}`
 }

 if (order.deliveredOn) {
  return `${order.name} has been delivered on ${order.deliveredOn}`
 }

 if (!order.expectedDelivery && !order.deliveredOn) {
  return `${order.name} is at ${order.at}`
 }
}
type Order = {
  name: string
  description?: string
  at: Location
} & ({
  status: 'ready'
} | {
  status: 'inProgress'
  expectedDelivery: Date
} | {
  status: 'complete'
  expectedDelivery: Date
  deliveredOn: Date
})
type Order = {
  status: string
  name: string
  description?: string
  at?: Location
  expectedDelivery?: Date
  deliveredOn?: Date
}
function createEmailMessage(order: Order) {
  switch(order.status) {
    case 'ready':
      return `${order.name} is at ${order.at}`

    case 'inProgress':
      return `${order.name} will be delivered on ${order.expectedDelivery}`

    case 'complete':
      return `${order.name} has been delivered on ${order.deliveredOn}`
  }
}
function createEmailMessage(order: Order) {
 //      ^? createEmailMessage(order: Order): string | undefined

 if (order.expectedDelivery) {
  return `${order.name} will be delivered ${order.expectedDelivery}`
 }

 if (order.deliveredOn) {
  return `${order.name} has been delivered on ${order.deliveredOn}`
 }

 if (!order.expectedDelivery && !order.deliveredOn) {
  return `${order.name} is at ${order.at}`
 }
}
function createEmailMessage(order: Order) {
  //     ^? createEmailMessage(order: Order): string
  
  switch(order.status) {
    case 'ready':
      return `${order.name} is at ${order.at}`

    case 'inProgress':
      return `${order.name} will be delivered ${order.expectedDelivery}`

    case 'complete':
      return `${order.name} has been delivered at ${order.deliveredOn}`
  }
}
function createEmailMessage(order: Order) {
 //      ^? createEmailMessage(order: Order): string | undefined

 if (order.expectedDelivery) {
  return `${order.name} will be delivered ${order.expectedDelivery}`
 }

 if (order.deliveredOn) {
  return `${order.name} has been delivered on ${order.deliveredOn}`
 }

 if (!order.expectedDelivery && !order.deliveredOn) {
  return `${order.name} is at ${order.at}`
 }
}
function createEmailMessage(order: Order)  { /* ... */ }
  //     ^? createEmailMessage(order: Order): string
  
const message = createEmailMessage(order)
sendEmail(message)
function createEmailMessage(order: Order) { /* ... */ }
 //      ^? createEmailMessage(order: Order): string | undefined

const message = createEmailMessage(order)
if(message) {
  sendEmail(message)
}

How simple is digging into the code?

Straightforward React components

export function RenderOrder() {
 const [order, setOrder] = useState<Order | undefined>()

 useEffect(() => {
  fetch('https://api.yourdomain.com/latest-order')
   .then(response => response.json())
   .then(order => setOrder(order))
 }, [])

 const onSendEmailClick = useCallback(() => {
  if (!order) return

  const message = createEmailMessage(order)
  if (message) {
   sendEmail(message)
  }
 }, [order])

 if (!order) return null

 return (
  <div>
   <p>
    {order.name} ({order.status})
   </p>
   {order.description && <p>{order.description}</p>}

   {!order.deliveredOn && order.expectedDelivery && (
    <p>Expected delivery: {order.expectedDelivery}</p>
   )}
   {order.deliveredOn && <p>Delivered on: {order.deliveredOn}</p>}

   <button onClick={onSendEmailClick}>Send email</button>
  </div>
 )
} 
export function RenderOrder() {
 const [order, setOrder] = useState<Order | undefined>()

 useEffect(() => {
  fetch('https://api.yourdomain.com/latest-order')
   .then(response => response.json())
   .then(order => setOrder(order))
 }, [])

 const onSendEmailClick = useCallback(() => {
  if (!order) return

  const message = createEmailMessage(order)
  if (message) {
   sendEmail(message)
  }
 }, [order])

 if (!order) return null

 return (
  <div>
   <p>
    {order.name} ({order.status})
   </p>
   {order.description && <p>{order.description}</p>}

   {!order.deliveredOn && order.expectedDelivery && (
    <p>Expected delivery: {order.expectedDelivery}</p>
   )}
   {order.deliveredOn && <p>Delivered on: {order.deliveredOn}</p>}

   <button onClick={onSendEmailClick}>Send email</button>
  </div>
 )
} 
export function RenderOrder() {
  const fetchStatus = useFetchOrder()
 
  if (fetchStatus.status === 'loading')
    return <p>Loading...</p>
 
  const order = fetchStatus.order
 
  switch (order.status) {
   case 'ready':
    return <ReadyOrder order={order} />
 
   case 'inProgress':
    return <InProgressOrder order={order} />
 
   case 'complete':
    return <CompleteOrder order={order} />
  }
 }
export function RenderOrder() {
  const fetchStatus = useFetchOrder()
 
  if (fetchStatus.status === 'loading')
    return <p>Loading...</p>
 
  const order = fetchStatus.order
 
  switch (order.status) {
   case 'ready':
    return <ReadyOrder order={order} />
 
   case 'inProgress':
    return <InProgressOrder order={order} />
 
   case 'complete':
    return <CompleteOrder order={order} />
  }
 }
type Props = {
 order: Order
}

export function CompleteOrder(props: Props) {
 const { order } = props

 if (order.status !== 'complete') return null

 const { name, description, deliveredOn } = order

 return (
  <div>
   <OrderHeading name={name} description={description} />

   <p>Delivered on: {deliveredOn}</p>

   <SendEmailButton order={order} />
  </div>
 )
}
export function RenderOrder() {
  const fetchStatus = useFetchOrder()
 
  if (fetchStatus.status === 'loading')
    return <p>Loading...</p>
 
  const order = fetchStatus.order
 
  switch (order.status) {
   case 'ready':
    return <ReadyOrder order={order} />
 
   case 'inProgress':
    return <InProgressOrder order={order} />
 
   case 'complete':
    return <CompleteOrder order={order} />
  }
 }
type Props = {
 order: Order
}

export function CompleteOrder(props: Props) {
 const { order } = props

 if (order.status !== 'complete') return null

 const { name, description, deliveredOn } = order

 return (
  <div>
   <OrderHeading name={name} description={description} />

   <p>Delivered on: {deliveredOn}</p>

   <SendEmailButton order={order} />
  </div>
 )
}
export function RenderOrder() {
  const fetchStatus = useFetchOrder()
 
  if (fetchStatus.status === 'loading')
    return <p>Loading...</p>
 
  const order = fetchStatus.order
 
  switch (order.status) {
   case 'ready':
    return <ReadyOrder order={order} />
 
   case 'inProgress':
    return <InProgressOrder order={order} />
 
   case 'complete':
    return <CompleteOrder order={order} />
  }
 }
type CompletedOrder =
  Extract<Order, { status: 'complete' }>

type Props = {
 order: CompletedOrder
}

export function CompleteOrder(props: Props) {
 const { order } = props
 const { name, description, deliveredOn } = order

 return (
  <div>
   <OrderHeading name={name} description={description} />

   <p>Delivered on: {deliveredOn}</p>

   <SendEmailButton order={order} />
  </div>
 )
}
export function RenderOrder() {
  const fetchStatus = useFetchOrder()
 
  if (fetchStatus.status === 'loading')
    return <p>Loading...</p>
 
  const order = fetchStatus.order
 
  switch (order.status) {
   case 'ready':
    return <ReadyOrder order={order} />
 
   case 'inProgress':
    return <InProgressOrder order={order} />
 
   case 'complete':
    return <CompleteOrder order={order} />
  }
 }
type CompletedOrder =
  Extract<Order, { status: 'complete' }>

type Props = {
 order: CompletedOrder
}

export function CompleteOrder(props: Props) {
 const { order } = props
 const { name, description, deliveredOn } = order

 return (
  <div>
   <OrderHeading name={name} description={description} />

   <p>Delivered on: {deliveredOn}</p>

   <SendEmailButton order={order} />
  </div>
 )
}

The devs that read my code...

Tests - What data the app exchanges with the server

React components - App's structure

Tests - What the app does

State Machine - How the app works

Types - Domain-related knowledge

They will blame me...

Days instead of weeks

Thank you! ❤️

Front-end tech leader

Stefano Magni

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