We've all been there - racing to finish a feature or fix a bug, taking shortcuts to ship code quickly. But these reckless coding habits inevitably return to haunt us.
Skipping Comments is Begging for Confusion
Even though comments take some time, they really help later by explaining what's going on. Code without comments means future you has to figure everything out again from scratch. Only skip comments for short bits of code that make sense on their own. For anything more complex, add comments explaining what's happening. People in the future who work on your code will thank you big time.
Ignoring Warnings - Don't Say I Didn't Warn You
Pay attention when the compiler warns you about stuff! Warnings call out potential bugs or old code. Sometimes warnings don't matter, but a lot of times they show actual problems. Check each warning - if something seems wrong, fix it. Don't let warnings stack up unhandled.
No Source Control? Living Dangerously!
Doing file management manually means you could totally mess up and delete or overwrite code. Using Git or SVN is a no brainer - they let you easily recover from mistakes. And you can see how code changes over time. The benefits are way more than the small setup cost. Not using version control is begging for disaster.
Copying Code You Don't Understand?
Finding code online that solves your problem seems convenient. But pasting stuff you don't understand risks importing bugs or dependencies. Always review and understand external code first. Even better, learn the techniques and try implementing from scratch when possible. Copy-paste is a risky shortcut.
Bad Names? Your Fellow Coders Will Be Confused
Using short names like 'i' and 'x' might feel quick, but they make your code hard to follow. Using descriptive names explains what's going on. So when naming variables, functions, classes etc - pick names that make sense. This makes your code way more readable and easier to work on later. Don't rush when choosing names!
Messy Code? Time to Clean Up!
I'm sure you've experienced making quick solutions that end up messy. But messy code makes everything you do later much harder. To avoid this, try to organize your code into smaller parts. Also, make sure there's space between different sections to keep it neat. If things get messy, fix them sooner rather than later, or they'll become really tough problems. It's important to train yourself to write neat code right from the beginning.
Ignoring Errors - An Accident Waiting to Happen
When mistakes happen in your code and you don't deal with them, they can mess things up a lot. So, it's a good idea to catch and handle these mistakes to prevent them from causing trouble. Also, when things go wrong, write down what happened so you can figure out the issue. Show helpful messages to users when things mess up, and try to think about possible mistakes ahead of time. Don't take risky shortcuts when it comes to this stuff!
Hardcoded Values? Bad News!
Imagine you're making a game and you put specific words or numbers directly into your code. If you later want to change those words or numbers, it's like a treasure hunt to find and change each one. Instead, it's smarter to put those things in a special file where you can easily change them all together. Also, use special names for these things that you can reuse. And if your game needs special tools or stuff from outside, make it so your game can use them without changing the game's main code. Spending a bit more time doing this will save you from a lot of trouble later on. Your future self will be really happy you did!
No Tests - Begging for Buggy Software
Writing tests takes some upfront work. But it massively reduces bugs in the long run. Tests document behavior and constraints. They catch regressions when refactoring code. Aim for solid test coverage, especially for complex logic. Some code isn't worth testing - use judgment. But critical code needs tests.
Avoid these habits at all costs if you want bug-free programs! Just be careful - some bugs bite back...