[Ebook] BaseCode - a field guide to lasting code

A field guide containing real-world practices to help you write code that's less complex and more readable.​

It's a field guide, not a book.​

BaseCode distills writing readable code into 10 practices and contains over 40 code samples.
These practices focus on:

• Writing code that prioritizes readability by humans, not a computer
• Avoiding code rot with analysis and automation
• Untangling nested code to improve visual honesty and reduce reader overhead
• Introducing objects to encapsulate complexity
• Refactoring long blocks of code by understanding reading levels
• Making naming things easy with context and time
• Using code as the primary signal, not comments
• Avoiding unnecessary code by using reasonable return values
• Delaying the need to remove duplication with the Rule of Three
• Improving code flow with symmetry
• Deferring design decisions to reduce anxiety when writing code

This isn't a book, it's a field guide. BaseCode applies real-world practices to everyday code. There's no fluff. No theory. I tackle common problems and use code to show solutions.

Each topic is neatly organized into a chapter. If you have a bunch of nested code, read Nested Code. If you want to break up long methods, jump to Big Blocks. You can read it cover to cover or jump around to the practices that interest you.