Software Development Best Practices

While engaging in custom software development, it is very crucial to monitor the best practices when you are dealing with the upgraded version of the prevailing application with thousands or millions of users. What you may not know is that obsolete techniques are used to write most projects, and once you switch to other projects or roles it can make your life harder when someone else has to maintain them. However, sometimes the way software is developed does not meet the specified standard in software development. For example, software development releases products with bugs that could have been avoided by following better development practices. This article covers some of the best software development practices that help you to look for common mistakes and bugs while developing your own software or working with a company that can contribute to the level of development. 

Best Software Development Practices 

Let us take a deep dive into the software development best practices: 

Keep it simple  

While developing a code you may be tempted to make it complex, unreadable, full of strings that you may require in the future, or a total mess in general. Writing complex and mysterious code was fashionable and the best way to show your sophisticated skill sets, years ago, but clarity and efficiency are the two most factors we need today. The following principle ensures the quality of your code: 

DRY (Don’t repeat yourself)

Duplication is a waste because your computer stores every data once you save it and it will remain there until you delete it. Repetition will result in wastage of time, money, and strain on code. Instead of repetition, focus on automation and implementation of code.

Start with well-defined requirements  

Having an SRSD (software requirement specification document) that consists of requirements for the software and design specifications, is one of the many best practices for software development. The resources of such development practices ensure that the prerequisites are being met and the procedures are followed. A decent SRSD will help you understand what needs to be done without asking questions and explaining the requirements of your project. 

Use an issue tracker for your software  

Any software bug or issue related to the software can be easily tracked using problem tracking software. A software issue tracker enables software developers to identify and report software issues in advance so that they will get enough time to troubleshoot before breaking the best practices of software development. The use of issue tracking software facilitates everyone involved in the software project to see what is working and the software problems that need to be solved.

However, software issue tracking tools are often overlooked by most software developers though it is one of the best practices of software development. The reason is that most of the issues that affect the efficient working of the project are not given much attention by many new software developers. They do not realize that some of those bugs will cause the project to fail at some point later, which is why it is so important to employ issue-tracking tools from the very first day. 

Write tests before writing software codes  

Writing software unit tests first before writing software code ensures that the developed software is free from bugs or other vulnerabilities. This allows you to make sure your code is working as expected and to detect any errors before releasing them to the public. It also facilitates documenting your code while you enter it. Whenever you test a function, you are actually recording the data types and parameters that it can accept, which allows other developers to understand the working of the code. The software code you write may contain bugs, which can result in numerous problems including security concerns. It is not quite easy to write software codes as the purpose of the application should be discussed and fixed by the software developers before starting to write the software code.  

Use an application framework

Using an application framework instead of manually developing software is one of the best software development methods that every programmer should be aware of. An application framework is a group of software parts that can be reused to facilitate the smooth development of software. These frameworks are not just reusable parts used to create software, they also consist of tools that avoid repetitive tasks like database management or changing file format involved in the development process.

Writing software manually is a time-consuming and tiring task. By using components and frameworks, you can save a lot of time and you can focus more on writing code rather than spending hours on tedious tasks. In short, an application framework reduces the number of errors you may run across later. Moreover, it acts as a chassis of your application, which you have to fill in with your own code. This will save you from writing basic functions from the beginning and ensure similarity across various platforms. 

Wrap Up 

Every business requires better practices to ensure the efficiency of resources, money, and effort and this is obvious when it comes to software development. You may have an experienced, well-equipped team and infrastructure, but without using the best practices of software development it may take a lot more time, effort, and money to develop upgraded versions of your code. Software development best practices can help you work more efficiently and it helps to make your projects more secure as there are fewer chances for bugs that could benefit hackers. 

As mentioned before, the primary goal of Software Development Best Practices is to assist you in developing your code to make it easier to function and make changes in the future.