How do you understand code in a new project?

6 Answers

1. Read the source code, it has the advantage that it is always up to date.
2. Read the unit tests if they are available, they often show the intended use for a class, library or framework.
3. Refactor a part of the source code.
4. Debug the application, step through the program while using a debugger.

How do you read the source code of an application?

Frameworks like these are excellent sources to review since the code has high standards and is itself informed by the coding patterns used at Microsoft. I have personally learned enormously from reading and learning how the team structure extensible framework code.

How do you start understanding code bases?

Let’s take a look at a few ways in which you can start to grasp a monolithic codebase.

1. Read the Documentation. The first place I start with a new project is reading over any available documentation or README files.
2. Read the Commit Messages.
3. Pairing.
4. Read the Tests.
5. Start with the Smallest Part.
6. Dive In.

How do I explain my code?

Some things I find useful in dealing with this:

1. Explain the code in the same language the users use.
2. Explain the code using standard programmer terms, e.g. Terms like “buffer”, “list”, “singleton” are familiar to most of us, as are common mathematical terms.
3. Explain what you’re doing in terms of the inputs and outputs.

How is code written?

Almost all programming languages work the same way: You write code to tell it what to do: print(“Hello, world”). The code is compiled, which turns it into machine code the computer can understand. The computer executes the code, and writes Hello, world back to us.

How do you view source code?

View source code only To view only the source code, press Ctrl + U on your computer’s keyboard. Right-click a blank part of the web page and select View page source from the pop-up menu that appears.

How do you make a source code readable?

This article will detail the most important best practices when writing readable code.

1. 1 – Commenting and Documentation.
2. 2 – Consistent Indentation.
3. 3 – Avoid Obvious Comments.
4. 4 – Code Grouping.
5. 5 – Consistent Naming Scheme.
6. 6 – DRY Principle.
7. 7 – Avoid Deep Nesting.
8. 8 – Limit Line Length.

How do I get Started with open source programming?

I think it’s the reason most open source projects start anyway; to fill a need. Get the code building and running on your dev box. Figure out how the system is used and familiarize yourself with the libraries used. (For example, if you see code with calls to some OpenGL lib, familiarize yourself with that library) Read the system’s documentation.

How do you identify good code?

Follow threads of control backwards to find out how to get to that point in the code. Also, take a “bird’s eye” view of the code — look at the layout and structure. Good code will have descriptive names that tells you want each class and method is for. See if you can recognize implementation patterns and see where/how they are used.

What are the best books to learn programming from the code?

If you want books that I found useful for learning how to learn from the code, I would check out Diomidis Spinellis’s books Code Reading: The Open Source Perspective and Code Quality: The Open Source Perspective. For your specific question, I would start with Code Reading.