Clean Code Clinic: Dealing with CRRAP (Microtesting Legacy Code)
The second great myth of software development training is the notion that most programming most of the time is on new code. In fact, most developers spend most of their time working on CRRAP: Code Requiring Remedial Attention Promptly. In this course, we’ll lay out the five basic patterns for bringing complex legacy code under perfectly tested control. If you’ve ever heard or said “Don’t touch that, you don’t know what it’s connected to,” this class is for you. Each pattern is illustrated with a complete real-world example, and in the final section, the patterns are combined to turn an extraordinary piece of CRRAP into a clear, coherent, perfectly tested piece of gold.
For maximum benefit from the class, you’ll want a) a serious Java IDE, such as Eclipse or IntelliJ, b) a wireless connection, and c) the willpower to un-ravel a single nightmarish (real-world) legacy class.
This class is divided into three sections of an hour each. Each section combines a half-hour of lecture/discussion with a half-hour of actual lab time, working on the famous CRRAP application.
Mike Hill is well known in agile circles for his irreverent style and his rock-solid content. The class was presented at last year’s conference with high attendance and high ratings. This year, it’s even better: the labs have been extended and focused, and materials updated accordingly.
The presentation will be made using Industrial Logic’s innovative eLearning system, and a decent wireless setup to the outside world is therefore quite important.