Re:Ask HN: Inherited the worst code and tech team I have eve...
by citrin_ru on Monday September 19, 2022 @04:14AM
(#32895630)
> You can delete code as long as the tests pass.
It's true that poorly maintained code contains a lot of pieces which should be deleted but if tests where added post-hock it is hard to be sure that they cover all use cases.
After adding basic tests I would suggest to improve logging to get good understanding of how the software is used. Better to store them in a database which allows quick queries over all data you have (I'd personally would use ClickHouse but there are other options). But even with good logs you need to wait and collect enough data otherwise you can miss rare but important use cases. E. g. something which happens only during the tax season.
It's true that poorly maintained code contains a lot of pieces which should be deleted but if tests where added post-hock it is hard to be sure that they cover all use cases.
After adding basic tests I would suggest to improve logging to get good understanding of how the software is used. Better to store them in a database which allows quick queries over all data you have (I'd personally would use ClickHouse but there are other options). But even with good logs you need to wait and collect enough data otherwise you can miss rare but important use cases. E. g. something which happens only during the tax season.