How to improve your reading and understanding of code? [closed]

Answer 1

The things that's helped me, more than anything else, has been testing and refactoring. You cannot say: "I understand this code" until you know how to break it with a test.

Answer 2

2 things in particular

Refactor When you see code that murkys up the waters of your IDE, refactor it so it makes sense so it's easy to read.

Comment Use refactoring to compartmentalize 'how' but use your commenting to show why.

Just like Steve McConnell says in Code Complete 2, follow the Psuedocode Programming Process (in this case, after the code is written). It will help you and any future developers read the code.

Answer 3

The thing that's helped me, more than anything else, has been refactoring.

Take a project (this can be a work project, personal project, open source project, whatever), and start refactoring.

Over time, the more you refactor other people's code, the better you'll "get into their head" and understand their way of thinking, whether good or bad.

Answer 4

"you can improve reading code skills by reading code"

Correct.

What code to read?

Any open source project that appeals to you. Most open source coding is remarkably good.

Don't read random code though. Read stuff you actually care about. The more you understand the problem domain, the better you can appreciate the solution you're reading.

Answer 5

Other than simple experience leading to reading code better, I suggest attaching a debugger to the application, add some break points, and analyze data as it goes through the system. That way you KNOW what is going on, instead of presuming (by logic or any other means) what is going on.

Answer 6

You learn to swim by swimming, you learn to read by reading. First try reading small code snippets written by others on your favorite area.

I started doing so by reading Python codes at code.activestate.com on my favorite topics(math,algorithms etc).

Advantages:

• Python codes are cleaner so you don't get frustrated in the first attempt.
• Starting with small manageable things help (a lot).
• Using tools like FREEMIND to organize your thoughts also helps.
• Then you can move on to more complex and dirty codes.