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1500 questions
89
votes
7 answers

How bad of an idea is it to use Python files as configuration files?

I've always used JSON files for configuration of my applications. I started using them from when I coded a lot of Java, and now I'm working mainly on server-side and data science Python development and am not sure if JSON is the right way to go any…
89
votes
10 answers

Estimating time costs in legacy codebase

Recently I started working on a project where a very old monolithic application is being migrated into microservice-based architecture. The legacy codebase is very messy ('spaghetti code') and often an apparently-simple function (e.g named as…
JuniorDev
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89
votes
25 answers

Ternary operator considered harmful?

For example, would you prefer this one-liner int median(int a, int b, int c) { return (a
fredoverflow
  • 6,874
89
votes
28 answers

Why is cleverness considered harmful in programming by some people?

I've noticed a lot of questions lately relating to different abstraction techniques, and answers saying basically that the techniques in question are "too clever." I would think that part of our jobs as programmers is to determine the best solutions…
89
votes
13 answers

Is a large increase in velocity realistic in a Scrum environment?

My manager has recently really been pushing to use velocity as a target and measure of productivity. We are currently working at an average velocity of 50 story points. My manager wants us to increase it by 40% to 70 story points (with no increase…
P2l
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89
votes
23 answers

Is fewer lines of code always better?

Which of these programming styles is better? var result = methodOne(methodTwo(a, methodThree(b)), c, d); or var result3 = methodThree(b); var result2 = methodTwo(a, result3); var result = methodOne(result2, c, d);
89
votes
13 answers

Can commented-out code be valuable documentation?

I wrote the following code: if (boutique == null) { boutique = new Boutique(); boutique.setSite(site); boutique.setUrlLogo(CmsProperties.URL_FLUX_BOUTIQUE+fluxBoutique.getLogo()); …
Alexis Dufrenoy
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89
votes
10 answers

Why is the sudden increase in number of Git submitters on Debian popcon graph in 2010-01?

Almost every article I've read 1 comparing Git and Mercurial it seems like Mercurial has a better command line UX with each command being limited to one idea only (unlike say git checkout). But at some point Git suddenly became looking super popular…
89
votes
6 answers

Advantages of using pure JavaScript over JQuery

What are the advantages of using Javascript-only versus using JQuery-only? I have limited experience with JavaScript and JQuery coding. I've added bits and snippets of each to HTML pages but I've mostly coded server-side stuff in other languages.…
89
votes
29 answers

Can my company give IP rights away for an application I wrote off hours to another startup?

I am an intern for a health company (unpaid), let's call it Company A and I noticed that they are using a lot of paper form for things that can be done on the computer. Excel files for things that shouldn't be in Excel. So I wanted to improve on my…
Mike Diaz
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89
votes
15 answers

Is it bad to use Unicode characters in variable names?

I recently tried to implement a ranking algorithm, AllegSkill, to Python 3. Here's what the maths looks like: No, really. This is then what I wrote: t = (µw-µl)/c # those are used in e = ε/c # multiple places. σw_new = (σw**2 * (1 -…
badp
  • 1,870
89
votes
7 answers

Application layer vs domain layer?

I am reading Domain-Driven Design by Evans and I am at the part discussing the layered architecture. I just realized that application and domain layers are different and should be separate. In the project I am working on, they are kind of blended…
Louis Rhys
  • 6,122
88
votes
6 answers

Where are all the functional programming design patterns?

OO programming literature is full of design patterns. Most books on object oriented programming dedicate a chapter or two to design patterns like factories and decorators. So what are the equivalent patterns in functional languages and why hasn't…
user7146
88
votes
14 answers

Is Agile the new micromanagement?

This question has been cooking in my head for a while so I wanted to ask those who are following agile/scrum practices in their development environments. My company has finally ventured into incorporating agile practices and has started out with a…
Smith James
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88
votes
3 answers

Difference between Web API and Web Service?

I have heard a lot about Web Services and Web APIs, is there any difference between them or are they the same?
Harish Kurup
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