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Nurturing a "Legacy" Codebase with Karen Tracey - DjangoCon US 2022
Learn how to nurture a legacy codebase with small steps, automated testing, and a culture of continuous improvement, and discover how to overcome common issues and empower developers to take ownership.
- Start small: Begin with small steps to improve the codebase, such as updating formatting or setting up a test suite.
- Nurture the codebase: Maintain the codebase by keeping it up to date, ensuring it covers all cases, and recording changes.
- Use automated testing: Implement automated testing to ensure the codebase remains stable and functional.
- Invest in code formatting: Enforce consistent code formatting and styles using tools like Black and precommit.
- Address common issues: Document common issues and solutions in the codebase, and provide context for new developers.
- Understand the codebase’s history: Recognize the codebase’s history and evolution, and understand the reasons behind its architecture and decisions.
- Update dependencies: Regularly update dependencies and libraries to ensure the codebase remains relevant and functional.
- Build a test suite: Develop a comprehensive test suite to provide confidence in changes and catch errors.
- Document the codebase: Maintain documentation of the codebase, including commit messages, issue trackers, and code explanations.
- Foster a nurturing culture: Encourage a culture of testing, feedback, and continuous improvement within the team.
- Leverage modern tools: Utilize modern tools and practices to streamline development, testing, and maintenance of the codebase.
- Address Legacy Code reputation: Recognize that Legacy Code is often stigmatized, but can still be valuable and worthy of maintenance.
- Empower developers: Give developers the autonomy to make decisions and take ownership of the codebase.
- Foster a community: Engage with a community of developers and users to improve the codebase and share knowledge.