Mike Clark

Code wants to be responsive to change, and when it doesn't get its way it tries to warn us. But often we aren't listening because it's too easy to plow ahead to the next feature. Unfortunately, in our haste we miss a golden opportunity to improve the code, which is actually the design. And although the consequence of ignoring the code isn't immediately noticeable, it quickly starts to drive up the cost of change.

In the latest installment of my Code Craft column, "Relocate for Reuse", we stop to listen to the code. Heeding its warnings, we find a new home for small methods that fell out of earlier refactorings, and end up with code that can be reused.