When learning a programming language, building an application is one of the best ways to practice. However, how can developers assess their own code in personal projects to ensure they're following best practices? I'm looking to create an application in Golang, but since I'm no longer in school, I lack peers to review my work. While AI is an option for code review, I prefer to use it only as a last resort, as it might not fully understand context or design patterns. I'm curious if developers used to rely on reading blogs, studying design patterns, or perhaps getting feedback from proficient peers in the past.
4 Answers
The key was to just dive in and build. Over time, as your projects grow in complexity, you start to notice the issues that come with poor design firsthand. Missing unit tests? You’ll keep seeing the same bugs crop up when you make changes and forget your previous choices. If your code isn't modular, a small change could mean rewriting a lot of it. Learning this through experience is often more valuable than anything you'd pick up from blogs or videos. It's sometimes a lesson learned the hard way, but making mistakes is a big part of the journey!
There are actually websites dedicated to code reviews, like Code Review Stack Exchange. You can share your code there and get feedback from experienced developers, which might be a great resource for you!
Thank you so much for this recommendation! I really appreciate it.
Well, you can always rely on good old manual review. Just take the time to read your own code with a critical eye and ask yourself how you might improve it. Self-assessment is a powerful tool!
Just remember, back then it was about learning through experience. It’s all about thinking critically and learning from your mistakes without relying too much on external validation.
Thanks so much for sharing this! It’s encouraging to know that making mistakes is part of the learning process.