I think code visibility is more important (intention revealing). It allows you to move forward (with proper abstraction) while still provides a chance to refactor later. DRY and Boy Scout Rule should always be honoured.
Should you code well or code fast?
11–20 of 29 posts
Re: Should you code well or code fast?
#12The best way to code fast is to code well.
When your code sucks or you intentionally code fast you end up adding tons of things that will drag you over and over again. And unavoidably you'll end up asking yourself "why didn't I code well. I would have ended up much faster".
Re: Should you code well or code fast?
#13Yes.
Re: Should you code well or code fast?
#14'Release early, release often.'
This suggests quick and dirty code is better than slow and mature code.
Though worse code benefits the most by having well-enough made Comments.
Re: Should you code well or code fast?
#15This wasn't a very good essay. The closing line sums up its problem: "We need to complete quality work in the shortest amount of time possible." Why, yes, I would like a double helping of pablum! Thank you for offering. You know, before now, I thought it was best to complete quality work in the longest time possible. Sarcasm aside, the most telling line was this one: "If the project is for a three-month campaign that…
Well said, James.
I've seen so many systems built quickly with time-to-market in mind, only to falter a few years later when the team can no longer safely make changes.
The irony is that they lose their hard-won market share while they re-write the system.
Re: Should you code well or code fast?
#16I give some actual advice and suggestions on learning to become a faster programmer here: http://deliberate-software.com/quality-is-future-speed/
Re: Should you code well or code fast?
#17Slow is smooth and smooth is fast
I'm putting this on my wall over my desk.
Re: Should you code well or code fast?
#18Answer: learn to do it the right way and you'll end up coding faster.
I was thinking similar. The best (and deepest thinking) programmers that I know are also the fastest. They don't always work the most hours or seem the most harried (which doesn't bode well for places like Advertising which like to seem "Busy and Creative") but they can produce in 20 lines in a day what others produce in 500 lines in a week. They may not look as fast though. ("What? All day? Just 20 lines?")
Re: Should you code well or code fast?
#19The best developers I know have the experience to know when each is required. Getting the right balance between speed and quality is one of the things I find hugely valuable in a developer, usually more so than their maximum coding speed or maximum output quality.
The best developers code well AND fast in my opinion.
Re: Should you code well or code fast?
#20When a question asks whether to do A or B, you know the answer is: "it depends" Just use your brain, use your judgement on the result, make a decision, iterate.