Implementation & Cognitive Load

Smells that make code hard to read or reason about.

Table of Contents

• Magic Numbers/Strings: Unexplained literals instead of named constants.
• Arrow Code / Deep Nesting: Excessive indentation levels.
• Uncommunicative Name: Names that don’t reveal intent.
• Inconsistent Names: Pick one word for one concept and stick with it.
• Hidden Side Effects: Function does more than it promises.
• Flag Arguments: Boolean arguments that split function behavior.
• Cargo Cult Programming: Copying code without understanding.
• Premature Optimization: Optimizing before it’s needed.
• Golden Hammer: Misapplying familiar technology to everything.