kodrefaktorisering

Kodrefaktorisering, often simply called refactoring, is the process of restructuring existing computer code without changing its external behavior. The primary goal is to improve the non-functional attributes of the software, such as readability, maintainability, and performance, making it easier to understand and modify in the future.

Refactoring involves applying a series of small, behavior-preserving transformations to the codebase. These transformations can include renaming variables and methods for clarity, extracting duplicated code into separate functions, simplifying complex conditional logic, and organizing classes and modules more effectively. It is not about adding new features or fixing bugs, although refactoring can often uncover hidden bugs or make bug fixing easier.

The benefits of regular code refactoring are significant. A cleaner, more organized codebase reduces the time and effort required for future development and maintenance. It also lowers the risk of introducing new errors when making changes. Refactoring is a key practice in agile software development, as it allows teams to adapt to changing requirements and evolve the software incrementally without accumulating technical debt. Automated testing is crucial for refactoring, as it provides a safety net to ensure that the external behavior of the code remains unchanged after each transformation.