Code that is no longer used or needed.

TL;DR: Do not keep code "just in case I need it".

Problems

• Maintainability

Solutions

• Remove the code
• KISS

Examples

• Gold plating code or Yagni code.

Exceptions

• Avoid metaprogramming. When used, it is very difficult to find references to the code.

Sample Code

Wrong

class Robot {   
  walk(){
    //...
    }
  serialize(){
    //..  
  }
  persistOnDatabase(database){
    //..  
  }
}

Right

class Robot {   
  walk(){
    //...
    }  
}

Detection

Coverage tools can find dead code (uncovered) if you have a great suite of tests.

Tags

• Unnecessary

Conclusion

Remove dead code for simplicity. If you are uncertain of your code, you can temporarily disable it using Feature Toggle. Removing code is always more rewarding than adding.

More info

• Laziness I: Metaprogramming

Credits

Photo by Ray Shrewsberry on Pixabay

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This article is part of the CodeSmell Series.

Last update: 2021/06/11