To #comment or not? A data-driven look at conflicting attitudes towards commenting and documentation




Every programmer has asked themselves “how many comments are too many?” To the newest programmers, comments may seem magical–a way of documenting without giving instructions to the computer. But commenting engages the same vulnerability as more advanced challenges (i.e. pair programming & code review) and is likely to pique the insecurity of many programmers (especially the copy-and-paste or tutorial-level programmer)!

While most of us agree that commenting is part of writing maintainable code, it’s very difficult for someone who has not yet worked in a community-reviewed codebase to know what is good practice and not. The answers that come back often conflict with each other: Code should be DRY, but well-placed comments save future devs. How can someone find the commenting style that is best for them as they learn, grow, & contribute? My survey of 170 long-time developers, Computer Science majors, bootcamp grads, & hobby programmers confirms some expectations and brings others into question. Join me for a data-based chat about the biggest pain points caused by our attitudes toward commenting and the steps we can take to encourage a growth mindset and empower programmers of all levels.

Speaker

veronica-hanus

Veronica Hanus

 
Before Veronica was a programmer, she was a researcher (she helped pick the Mars Curiosity Rover’s landing site!) with an eye for process improvement. As she’s taught herself web ...