Software Craftsman Yule Calender: 9th of December

"Enhance, do not replace"
part 4


Previously
"Following a plan".
"Not only following a plan, but responding to change"
"Not only responding to change, but steadily adding value".

"Contract negotiations"
"Not only contract negotiations, but customer collaboration"
"Not only customer collaboration, but productive partnership"

"Processes and tools"
"Not only processes and tools, but individuals and interactions"
"Not only individuals and interactions, but a community of professionals"


Today
Being a bit code centric today. During our pursuit of the upper, we find the lower to be indispensible.

"Comprehensive Documentation"
"Working software over comprehensive documentation"
"Well crafted software over working software"


Would you have bought something expensive if nothing told you what it was or what it did?
Would you have bought a car that the salesman had trouble starting? And would it then be of any help that you have a thorough understanding of what the car [i]should[/i] have done?
Would you have bought the car if you opened the hood and was looking at a complete mess (also in the eye of a mechanic). The fact that the car actually [i]starts[/i] will again seem insufficient.

Our profession is first and foremost to produce actively used software that creates value for our business by creating value for its customers. In and of itself, code is not worth anything.
But existing codebase is also an assett to meet future solutions and challenges. For that, we need maintainable and clean code. Code is read more often than it is written.