FREE CAD Code Refactoring and Quality Questions and Answers

Question 1

An agile developer is reviewing a colleague's code and notices a method with a very long parameter list. This is a classic example of what?

Accepted Answer

A code smell

Answer

A 'code smell' is a surface-level indicator of a potentially deeper problem in the code. A long parameter list is a well-known code smell, suggesting the method may have too many responsibilities or that the parameters could be grouped into an object. While it contributes to technical debt, the immediate characteristic is best described as a code smell.

Question 2

According to Martin Fowler, what is the primary definition of code refactoring?

Accepted Answer

Changing the internal structure of software without changing its external behavior.

Answer

Martin Fowler, who popularized the term, defines refactoring as the process of changing a software system's internal structure to make it easier to understand and cheaper to modify without changing its observable behavior. Fixing bugs or adding new functionality are distinct activities from refactoring.

Question 3

A team is about to add a new feature to their application. They notice the existing code in that area is complex and hard to understand. To make adding the new feature easier, they first restructure the existing code. This is an example of which refactoring strategy?

Accepted Answer

Preparatory Refactoring

Answer

Preparatory Refactoring is the practice of improving the design of existing code specifically to make it easier to add the next feature. The team is refactoring with the immediate goal of simplifying a future development task, which is the essence of this strategy.

Question 4

Which of the following is a primary goal of code refactoring in an agile environment?

Accepted Answer

To reduce technical debt and improve maintainability.

Answer

Refactoring is a key practice for managing and reducing technical debt. By continuously improving the internal code structure, teams make the software easier to maintain, adapt, and extend in future sprints, which is crucial for agility.

Question 5

During a sprint, a developer needs to make a change. According to Kent Beck's 'two hats' metaphor, what should the developer do first if the required change is difficult to implement in the current code structure?

Accepted Answer

Switch to the 'refactoring hat' to make the change easy, then switch to the 'adding function hat' to make the easy change.

Answer

Kent Beck's advice, highlighted by Martin Fowler, is to separate the acts of refactoring and adding functionality. When faced with a difficult change, the developer should first put on their 'refactoring hat' to restructure the code, making the change easy. After that work is committed, they switch to their 'adding function hat' to implement the feature itself. This approach keeps commits small, focused, and easier to review.

(CAD) Certified Agile Developer Practice Test

(CAD) Certified Agile Developer Practice Test

FREE CAD Code Refactoring and Quality Questions and Answers