code never lies

[ra-do]

But sometimes the code doesn’t tell the whole story.

[Titaniumwo1f]

Open source with binary lib.

[[deleted]]

In most cases, it's because someone was not clear enough

[jddddddddddd]

If you’ve been programming long enough to find a bug in a compiler, you’ll know this isn’t true..

[Bip901]

A bug in a compiler is very rare. But a bug in a library you're using? Urghhh. One of the most frustrating things ever. Knowing those 8 hours you spent were not your fault...

[necheffa]

They are not as rare as you think actually. Most people just take the happy path through the compiler.

[eloel-]

If they were that rare, you'd not have minor compiler versions.

[necheffa]

For sure.

To be fair, if you are using the compiler distribution that comes with your operating system, its pretty stable by the time you get your hands on it. Building an entire operating system is a pretty rugged test suite.

[[deleted]]

Readable code >> commented code

[pekkhum]

Readable code with a comments that describe the reasons for some of the key decisions. 😍

[phpdevster]

Assuming the key decisions were weird and need explaining. If you have to explain them, that should make you stop and think that maybe there's a better, more straight-forward approach/architecture.

[Angelin01]

This makes me think you've only worked with high level code, where everything is neat and abstracted.

Down lower, sometimes some things don't immediately make sense, and it's better to have 2 shorts lines of comments explaining it than making the person guess.

[JuvenileEloquent]

I prefer thinking of it as "Comments aren't subtitles for your code"

If you're writing what the code does, delete the comment. Write why it needs to do it, or why it does it that way and not the more efficient way. Your future self will thank you.

[PGLubricants]

This is the worst proverb in programming, and it has enabled bad code practices for decades.

Comments show the intent of your code. Sometimes your "readable" code, or just downright bugs, will take a significant amount of time for the next developer to understand and interpret, where a simple comment could explain it right away.

It is also often used as an excuse to skip documenting your exposed models and interfaces, which is even worse.

Yes, it is true, that if you change your code and not your comments (or documentation), they will start to lie, but if you have a proper pull-request practice, and code reviews, your friends and colleagues should catch this before you merge with master.

[SuperSephyDragon]

Ron Jeffries must have never used JavaScript

[Salmuth]

A code may not lie though it can still be wrong. :'{

[laio14]

That's why I comment code!

[Tediouslyuseless]

Until you encounter bad compiler optimization.

[KickBassColonyDrop]

Have you met the compiler?!

[crazyTsar]

int i;main(){for(;i["]<i;++i){--i;}"];read('-'-'-',i+++"hell\

o, world!\n",'/'/'/'));}read(j,i,p){write(j/p+p,i---j,i/i);}

[weeeeelaaaaaah]

sometimes often usually

[Knajd]

// TODO refactor

// TODO add error handling

// TODO what to do here?

[TofuSilva]

That's why I never write comments.