It's all About the Next Person Taking Over From You.

If there is one thing engineers and developers despise, is DOCUMENTATION! It takes away the joy and the pleasure we derive while building software. However, documenting your code is a Gift for Future Engineers and Developers.

Writing clean code is essential, but even clean code can be puzzling without context. Documentation is not just for you; it is a lifeline for future engineers. It captures the why behind your work, making transitions and scalability smoother and preserving continuity in the long run.

Clean code matters not just for good Code Quality, It goes beyond that. Even the best-structured code can leave future developers guessing about design choices and updates if there is no documentation to provide context.

Imagine a new engineer taking over your project. They may find the code clean, yet the logic or the reason behind specific decisions may not be immediately clear. Having a backstory (Documentation) helps them understand not only what the code does, but why it was written that way. It also prevents the need for unnecessary rework (Technical debt) and avoid mistakes by explaining decisions, ultimately saving time and resources.

Just like you would appreciate the "other guy" for leaving you with a blueprint, so will the next person appreciate you if you leave behind a blueprint.

To produce documentations there are some essential elements to look out for your code:

1. Change Logs: Summarize major changes so new engineers quickly see the project’s evolution.

2. Architecture Decision Records (ADRs): Record architectural choices, trade-offs, and the reasoning behind them. ADRs offer future developers an understanding of design decisions, guiding maintenance and extensions.

3. Assumptions and Workarounds: Note any assumptions or temporary fixes to prevent misunderstandings or the spread of fragile code.

Tips for Effective Documentation:

• Keep It Clear and Updated: Focus on clarity and stay current with changes.
• Comment When Necessary: Use comments for any complex or unusual logic to help future developers follow the flow.
• Use Version Control for Documentation: Tools like Git offer valuable support for documentation. Documenting directly within version control helps future developers easily trace changes and understand the project’s evolution.

 

Clean code lays the groundwork for understandable and maintainable software. However, it is documentation that creates a lasting legacy. By documenting not just the what but the why, you provide future engineers and developers with the tools they need to keep a project alive and thriving long after you have moved on.

In the end, documenting code is about leaving behind a roadmap, or a blueprint. It is about ensuring that the work you do today can be sustained, improved, and built upon by the developers/engineers of tomorrow. Your clean code will help them understand your logic, but your documentation will help them understand your purpose. In a field that moves as fast as software development, that can make all the difference.