Kotlin Code Smell 5 - Too Clever For Your own Good

#kotlin #codesmell #cleancode #programming

TL;DR: Don't pretend you are too smart. Clean code requires readability and simplicity.

Problems

Readability
Maintainability
Code quality
Premature optimization

Solutions

Refactor the code
Use better names

Examples

Optimized loops

Exceptions

Optimized code for low-level operations.
1-liner code functions

Sample Code

Wrong

fun primeFactors(n: Int): ArrayList<Int> {
    val f = ArrayList<Int>()
    var d = 2
    var nn = n

    while (nn >= 2) {
        if (nn % d == 0) {
            f.add(d)
            nn /= d
        } else {
            d++
        }
    }

    return f
}

Right

fun primeFactors(numberToFactor: Int): ArrayList<Int> {
    val factors = ArrayList<Int>()
    var divisor = 2
    var remainder = numberToFactor

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

Conclusion

Developers who are too clever for their own good write cryptic code to brag. Smart developers write clean code. Clear beats clever!

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