Refactoring:
Improving the Design of Existing Code
by Martin Fowler, Kent Beck, John Brant, William Opdyke, Don Roberts
Your class library works, but could it be better? Refactoring: Improving
the Design of Existing Code shows how refactoring can make object-oriented
code simpler and easier to maintain. Today refactoring requires considerable
design know-how, but once tools become available, all programmers should
be able to improve their code using refactoring techniques.
Besides an introduction to refactoring, this handbook provides a catalog
of dozens of tips for improving code. The best thing about Refactoring
is its remarkably clear presentation, along with excellent nuts-and-bolts
advice, from object expert Martin Fowler. The author is also an authority
on software patterns and UML, and this experience helps make this a better
book, one that should be immediately accessible to any intermediate or
advanced object-oriented developer. (Just like patterns, each refactoring
tip is presented with a simple name, a "motivation," and examples using
Java and UML.)
Early chapters stress the importance of testing in successful refactoring.
(When you improve code, you have to test to verify that it still works.)
After the discussion on how to detect the "smell" of bad code, readers
get to the heart of the book, its catalog of over 70 "refactorings"--tips
for better and simpler class design. Each tip is illustrated with "before"
and "after" code, along with an explanation. Later chapters provide a quick
look at refactoring research.
Like software patterns, refactoring may be an idea whose time has come.
This groundbreaking title will surely help bring refactoring to the programming
mainstream. With its clear advice on a hot new topic, Refactoring is sure
to be essential reading for anyone who writes or maintains object-oriented
software. --Richard Dragan - Amazon.com
Topics Covered: Refactoring, improving software code, redesign, design
tips, patterns, unit testing, refactoring research, and tools.
Hardcover from Addison-Wesley Pub Co
28 June, 1999 |
