Code smell

Often the deeper problem hinted at by a code smell can be uncovered when the code is subjected to a short feedback cycle, where it is refactored in small, controlled steps, and the resulting design is examined to see if there are any further code smells that in turn indicate the need for more refactoring.

Refactoring is usually motivated by noticing a code smell.

Duplicate code is generally considered undesirable for a number of reasons.

Bad code smells can be an indicator of factors that contribute to technical debt.

A data clump, like other code smells, can indicate deeper problems with the program design or implementation.

The origin of the term "design smell" can be traced to the term "code smell" which was featured in the book Refactoring: Improving the Design of Existing Code by Martin Fowler.

In computer programming, a code smell is any characteristic in the source code of a program that possibly indicates a deeper problem.

In computer programming, a code smell is any characteristic in the source code of a program that possibly indicates a deeper problem.

In computer programming, a code smell is any characteristic in the source code of a program that possibly indicates a deeper problem.

The term was popularised by Kent Beck on WardsWiki in the late 1990s.

The term was popularised by Kent Beck on WardsWiki in the late 1990s.

Usage of the term increased after it was featured in the book Refactoring: Improving the Design of Existing Code by Martin Fowler.

It is also a term used by agile programmers.

Code smells are usually not bugs; they are not technically incorrect and do not prevent the program from functioning.

Robert C. Martin calls a list of code smells a "value system" for software craftsmanship.

Often the deeper problem hinted at by a code smell can be uncovered when the code is subjected to a short feedback cycle, where it is refactored in small, controlled steps, and the resulting design is examined to see if there are any further code smells that in turn indicate the need for more refactoring.

From the point of view of a programmer charged with performing refactoring, code smells are heuristics to indicate when to refactor, and what specific refactoring techniques to use.

A 2015 study utilizing automated analysis for half a million source code commits and the manual examination of 9,164 commits determined to exhibit "code smells" found that: