Amal Hussein, Engineering Manager at npm and former open web engineer, dives into the world of Abstract Syntax Trees (ASTs) and their potential for transforming legacy code. She shares how ASTs improve code analysis over traditional methods and automate refactoring processes. Amal also discusses the importance of representation in tech leadership and how discontentment can drive innovation. With tools like JS CodeShift, she emphasizes demystifying ASTs to enhance development efficiency, making them accessible for all developers.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Modernizing IE Tests with ASTs
Amal Hussein used ASTs to modernize thousands of IE tests at Boku.
These tests were valid for open web standards but used an outdated harness.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Bug Prevention with ASTs
When fixing bugs, consider if linting rules or tests could have prevented them.
Create custom linting rules and transforms as a first layer of defense.
insights INSIGHT
Democratizing ASTs
ASTs are not just for language writers; any developer can use them for refactoring.
Tools like ASTExplorer.net and JS CodeShift simplify AST manipulation.
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This book, now in its second edition, provides a detailed catalog of refactoring techniques. It explains how to identify 'code smells' and apply behavior-preserving transformations to improve the design and maintainability of software. The book includes examples in Java and JavaScript, and it emphasizes the importance of testing and small, incremental changes to minimize the risk of introducing errors. The second edition reflects the changes in the programming landscape over the past two decades and includes new examples and techniques[2][4][5].
Amal Hussein (Engineering Manager at npm) joined the show to talk about AST’s — aka, abstract syntax trees. Amal is giving a talk at All Things Open on the subject so we asked her to give us an early preview. She’s on a mission to democratize the knowledge and usage of AST’s to push legacy code and the web forward.
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