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Good Practices for improving Code Quality

Good Practices for improving Code Quality

18th Apr, 2023

TypeScript is a popular programming language that has become increasingly popular among developers due to its strong typing, object-oriented programming, and scalability. As with any programming language, it’s important to follow coding standards to maintain consistency and ensure that your code is readable and maintainable. In this article, we will discuss some TypeScript coding standards that will help you write clean and consistent code.

 

Good Practices for improving Code Quality

 

Here are some best practices for TypeScript coding standards:

 

  • Use strict mode: Always use strict mode by adding “strict”: true to your tsconfig.json file. This will help catch common errors at compile time, such as using undeclared variables.
  • Use descriptive and meaningful names: Use descriptive names for variables, functions, and classes. Avoid using single-letter or abbreviated names that are hard to understand.
  • Use interfaces and types: Use interfaces and types to define your data structures and function signatures. This will make your code more readable and easier to maintain.
  • Use const and let: Use const for values that don’t change and let for values that can change. Avoid using var.
  • Use arrow functions: Use arrow functions for short, concise functions. This makes the code more readable and easier to understand.
  • Use default values for optional parameters: Use default values for optional parameters to improve readability and avoid undefined values.
  • Use async/await: Use async/await instead of call-backs or promises for asynchronous code. This makes the code more readable and easier to understand.
  • Use type inference: Let TypeScript infer the types where possible instead of explicitly defining them. This reduces code verbosity and improves readability.
  • Use proper indentation and formatting: Use proper indentation and formatting to make your code more readable and easier to understand.
  • Use comments sparingly: Use comments only when necessary to explain complex or confusing code. Too many comments can clutter the code and make it harder to read.

 

By following these guidelines, you can write TypeScript code that is clean, maintainable, and readable.

 

Brief explanation with sample codes

 

Use Strict Mode: It’s advisable to utilize strict mode consistently when programming in TypeScript. Being a strongly typed language, TypeScript mandates that each variable, function, and method has a precise data type. This ensures you catch errors at compile time, rather than at runtime. Additionally, strong typing can make your code more readable and self-documenting.

To enable strict type checking, you can always add strict:true to your tsconfig.json file in your typescript library. By making this flag true, TypeScript’s implementation of these checks will capture specific errors that might have gone unnoticed if not for these checks.

good code quality using Strict Mode

Replacement of let/var: You should always use const when you have a variable instead of let/var where you are sure about that variable is not going to change its value. This check will ensure your code’s readability and helps to prevent accidental re-assignment of that variable.

good code quality using enums

More usage of enums: In TypeScript, Enums (short for enumerations) provide a way to define a set of named constants. Assigning a relevant name to a correlated set of values can result in improved comprehensibility and ease of maintenance. Enums can also assign custom numeric or string values. As per the naming convention, it’s advisable to name enums using singular nouns with the first letter capitalized. Also, when defining constants, it’s often better to use enums instead of plain strings or numbers.

Usage of “unknown” Type: Introduced in TypeScript 3.0, the unknown type is a more potent and constraining type than “any” type. Its primary purpose is to prevent unintended type errors.

TypeScript imposes greater restrictions when utilizing the “unknown” type, as it prohibits any operations on a value until its type is confirmed. This approach can help identify type errors during compile-time, rather than runtime.

good code quality using unknown Type
good code quality using unknown Type in typescript

Use Tuples: Tuples are a type of data structure that allows for the representation of an array with fixed size and different data types. This data structure is useful for expressing a specific order and type of collection of values. It can also represent a collection of multiple data types, like this:

Use Interfaces: Interfaces are a valuable tool for producing code that is both easy to maintain and easy to comprehend. They serve as a blueprint for your objects, outlining the structure and attributes of the data you will be working with.

In TypeScript, an interface specifies the properties and methods that an object of a particular type should have, and it can be employed as a type for a variable. This ensures that when you assign an object to a variable with an interface type, TypeScript verifies that the object has all the properties and methods defined in the interface. Refactoring code is also made simpler by interfaces since they guarantee that all instances of a specific type are updated at the same time. For instance, consider the following TypeScript code snippet that illustrates how to declare and use an interface:

testing good practices

It’s crucial to remember that best practices are not strict rules, but rather recommendations to follow when writing code. It’s important to exercise your own judgment and common sense when writing code. Additionally, keep in mind that as TypeScript continues to evolve and new features are added, the best practices may change as well. Therefore, it’s vital to stay informed and open to learning new things.

 

Happy Coding…!!!

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About the author

Shiney Jose | Senior Consultant- Automation

Shiney Jose is a seasoned automation engineer with experience in designing, implementing, and maintaining automation systems. With a strong technical background and a passion for innovation, she has successfully delivered complex automation projects across multiple industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, and finance.

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