Refaktoroiminen

Refaktoroiminen, or refactoring in English, is a disciplined technique in software development for restructuring existing computer code without changing its external behavior. The primary goal of refactoring is to improve the internal structure of the code, making it more understandable, maintainable, and extensible. This process often involves breaking down large, complex methods into smaller, more manageable ones, removing duplicated code, and improving variable and function names for clarity.

Refactoring is not about fixing bugs or adding new features; it is purely about improving the design and quality of the code. By making code cleaner and more organized, developers can reduce the likelihood of introducing new bugs in the future and make it easier for other developers to understand and work with the codebase. This can lead to faster development cycles and a more stable software product over time.

Common refactoring techniques include extracting methods, renaming variables and methods, introducing classes or interfaces, and simplifying conditional expressions. The process is typically iterative, with small, incremental changes being made and tested to ensure that the external behavior of the code remains unchanged. This careful approach helps to minimize risks associated with code modification.