Linus Torvalds' Laws of Writing Readable Code

Writing readable code is an essential aspect of software development. It's not just about writing code that works, but also about writing code that is easy to understand and maintain. In this article, we'll explore Linus Torvalds' laws of writing readable code, which are essential guidelines for any developer who wants to write code that is efficient, maintainable, and easy to understand.

Indentation: The Key to Readable Code

"Indentation is not just about aesthetics, it's about making your code readable."

According to Linus Torvalds, indentation is not just about aesthetics, it's about making your code readable. He argues that tabs and indentations are eight characters, and that's a problem. This is because when you're reading through complex code, eight-character indentations can push the code off to the right side of the screen, making it difficult to read.

Breaking Down Long Lines of Code

"Breaking down long lines of code is essential for readability."

Linus Torvalds emphasizes the importance of breaking down long lines of code. He argues that code shouldn't be going off the side of the screen, and that something we should be careful about when breaking down these long lines is to never break user-visible strings or log messages. This is because breaking down long lines of code can make it difficult to read and understand.

Concatenation: A Solution to Long Lines of Code

"Concatenation is a solution to breaking down long lines of code without breaking user-visible strings or log messages."

Linus Torvalds suggests that concatenation is a solution to breaking down long lines of code without breaking user-visible strings or log messages. This is because concatenation allows you to break apart long lines of code while keeping the message intact, making it easier to read and understand.

The Maximum Length of a Function

"The maximum length of a function is inversely proportional to the complexity and indentation level of that function."

According to Linus Torvalds, the maximum length of a function is inversely proportional to the complexity and indentation level of that function. This means that as a function's complexity and indentation level increase, the maximum allowed length of that function should decrease.

Don't Explain How Your Code Works in Comments

"Never try to explain how your code works in a comment."

Linus Torvalds emphasizes that you should never try to explain how your code works in a comment. This is because comments should be used to explain what your code does, not how it works. If you're writing code that requires a comment to explain how it works, it's likely that your code is too complex and needs to be refactored.

Conclusion

Writing readable code is essential for any software development project. By following Linus Torvalds' laws of writing readable code, you can ensure that your code is efficient, maintainable, and easy to understand. Remember, indentation is key, breaking down long lines of code is essential, concatenation is a solution, and never try to explain how your code works in comments.