Software Engineering Radio - the podcast for professional software developers SE Radio 602: Nicolas Carlo on Improving Legacy Code
45 snips
Feb 7, 2024 Nicolas Carlo, author of Legacy Code First Aid Kit, talks about the challenges of dealing with legacy code and shares useful tools and techniques from his book. They discuss the importance of refactoring, naming, and behavioral analysis in improving legacy code. They also explore the Macado method for addressing large tasks and discuss the potential of AI in legacy code improvement.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Redefining Legacy Code
- Legacy code is valuable code you fear to change due to potential risks, not just old or untested code.
- It usually impacts production systems and has significant business value or user impact.
Safety Nets Before Refactoring
- Put safety nets like automated tests before making meaningful legacy code changes.
- Use duct tape fixes temporarily if tests or documentation are missing to avoid unintentional damage.
Failed Government Rewrite Example
- Quebec government tried a big rewrite shutdown for their car system causing months of disruption and lost millions.
- Such big bang rewrites risk budget, reputation, and cause operational chaos.