Refaktoroinnin

Refactoring, also known as refaktoroinnin in Finnish, is the process of restructuring existing computer code—changing the factoring—without changing its external behavior. This is done to improve nonfunctional attributes of the software, such as its readability, maintainability, and performance. Refactoring is a key practice in agile software development and is often used to enhance code quality, reduce technical debt, and facilitate easier future modifications.

The primary goal of refactoring is to improve the internal structure of the software without altering its external behavior. This means that the functionality of the software remains unchanged, but the way it is implemented can be significantly improved. Common refactoring techniques include renaming variables and methods to make them more descriptive, extracting duplicate code into separate methods, and simplifying complex conditional statements.

Refactoring is typically performed in small, incremental steps to minimize the risk of introducing bugs. Developers use automated tests to ensure that the functionality of the software remains unchanged after refactoring. This practice is known as test-driven development (TDD) and is a common approach in agile methodologies.

Refactoring can be done manually by developers or automated using specialized tools. Automated refactoring tools can help identify potential improvements in the code and apply them automatically, saving time and reducing the risk of errors. However, manual refactoring is often preferred for complex or critical sections of the code, where automated tools may not be able to accurately assess the impact of changes.

In summary, refactoring is an essential practice in software development that involves restructuring existing code to improve its quality and maintainability without changing its external behavior. It is a key component of agile methodologies and is used to reduce technical debt, enhance code readability, and facilitate easier future modifications.