About the quality of codes

Code is the central component of software. Without the code, a program, an application or an add-on cannot function. This makes it all the more important for the code to be clear and simple. However, this is not always the case. To prevent errors in the code, Softway AG relies on clean code development.

Whenever software of any kind is used, it can only function if a corresponding code is stored. This code defines how a particular piece of software works and which actions are executed when and how.

In other words, the word code describes a system of rules and agreements that allows the assignment of characters (or character sequences) from two different character sets. A code thus serves as a key to transfer an encrypted text into plain text.

Code as a central component of software

Code is therefore the central component of software. Without the code, a program, an application or an add-on cannot function. This makes it all the more important for the code to be clear and simple. However, this is not always the case.

During software development, it is not uncommon for the code for a program to become too complex to maintain over the course of development. Small changes to the code quickly lead to a cascade of further adjustments that become necessary and make further development unnecessarily difficult. The reason for this: unclean code.

The clean code approach

Robert C. Martin’s clean code approach aims to address precisely this problem and encourage software developers to generate clean code. The aim of development according to the clean code approach is to produce software efficiently and effectively. The code should be designed in such a way that it is easy to read, modify, extend and maintain. This enables a clear, understandable, comprehensible, logical and disciplined implementation of code.

Clean Code Development in the context of SAP

Based on this approach by Robert C. Martin, clean code development is an approach to software development that takes an even deeper look at the development process of clean code.

Various values and practices are defined and agile approaches are used. This means that development should be incremental, adaptive, reactive and carried out in close cooperation with the customer.

This approach also corresponds to Softway AG’s ideas on the subject of coding and code quality. We want to integrate the highest possible coding standard in customer projects and further increase the code quality of our products through clean code development. In this way, we ensure that the Softway Solution Packages for SAP® forms, individual e-mails or e-invoices from the SAP® system are of the highest quality.

Clean Code and Softway AG

In order to keep all developers at Softway AG up to date on the clean code development approach, in-house workshops including exercises are offered on an ongoing basis, which are supervised by a specially founded Clean Code Initiative. The topic has been actively pursued since May 2021.

In future blog posts, we would like to give you an overview of the different principles and practices of the clean code universe and introduce the topic of clean code development to all interested parties.