Refactoringen

Refactoringen is a set of practices in software engineering focused on improving the internal structure of a codebase without changing its external behavior. The term is used in Dutch-speaking contexts and in English-language discussions to denote multiple or ongoing refactoring efforts.

Its goals include reducing technical debt, increasing readability, maintainability, and testability, and making future changes easier. By reorganizing code, introducing clearer boundaries, and simplifying interfaces, refactoringen aims to enable safer feature development and easier collaboration.

Key principles are incremental change, where changes are small and auditable; preserving behavior verified by tests; keeping interfaces stable during refactoring; and focusing on design smells such as duplication, long methods, and large classes. Refactoringen is typically performed alongside or between feature work.

Common techniques include extracting methods and classes, renaming identifiers for clarity, moving responsibilities to appropriate modules, inlining temporary variables, replacing conditionals with polymorphism, and restructuring module boundaries. More extensive efforts may involve architectural changes while preserving external contracts.

Process usually involves identifying targets via code smells or metrics, planning changes, implementing in small commits, running automated tests, and having code reviewed. Continuous integration helps catch regressions early.

Tooling is centered on unit and integration tests, version control, and IDE-supported refactoring assistants. Static analysis and code quality tools can help surface candidates for refactoringen.

Risks include hidden dependencies, performance regressions, and the potential for regression if tests are incomplete. Refactoringen requires discipline and governance, especially in large teams or critical systems.