Dev Tools · 1h ago
Inheriting a Codebase With Zero Comments: A Developer's Nightmare
A developer recounts inheriting a payment reconciliation service with zero comments, a function named 'handlePayment2' alongside the original, and a config flag 'useNewLogic' that has been dead since 2023. The git blame reveals commits from a nonexistent user and messages like 'fix bug' and 'idk'. The story highlights how deadlines and context evaporation lead to uncommented, unmaintainable codebases.
Meridian48 take
A relatable tale that underscores the perennial challenge of code documentation, but the real takeaway is the need for better engineering practices, not just sympathy for the inheritor.
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