State-of-the-Art Shitcode Principles
Tags: webdev, javascript, coding, programming
Published: 2020-01-28 07:48:05

---
title: State-of-the-Art Shitcode Principles
published: true
description: This a list of state-of-the-art shitcode principles your project should follow.
tags: webdev, javascript, coding, programming
---

This a list of state-of-the-art shitcode principles your project should follow.

> [💩 Full version of the list on GitHub](https://github.com/trekhleb/state-of-the-art-shitcode)

![Alt Text](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/i/0onrnrllj5ct80pv8o2t.png)

## Get Your Badge

If your repository follows the state-of-the-art shitcode principles you may use the following "state-of-the-art shitcode" badge:

[![State-of-the-art Shitcode](https://img.shields.io/static/v1?label=State-of-the-art&message=Shitcode&color=7B5804)](https://github.com/trekhleb/state-of-the-art-shitcode)

```
[![State-of-the-art Shitcode](https://img.shields.io/static/v1?label=State-of-the-art&message=Shitcode&color=7B5804)](https://github.com/trekhleb/state-of-the-art-shitcode)
```

## The Principles

### 💩 Name variables in a way as if your code was already obfuscated

Less keystrokes, more time for you.

_Good 👍🏻_

```javascript
let a = 42;
```

_Bad 👎🏻_

```javascript
let age = 42;
```

### 💩 Mix variable/functions naming style

Celebrate the difference.

_Good 👍🏻_

```javascript
let wWidth = 640;
let w_height = 480;
```

_Bad 👎🏻_

```javascript
let windowWidth = 640;
let windowHeight = 480;
```

### 💩 Never write comments

No one is going to read your code anyway.

_Good 👍🏻_

```javascript
const cdr = 700;
```

_Bad 👎🏻_

```javascript
// Callback function debounce rate in milliseconds.
const callbackDebounceRate = 700;
```

### 💩 Always write comments in your native language

If you violated the "No comments" principle then at least try to write comments in a language that is different from the language you use to write the code. If your native language is English you may violate this principle.

_Good 👍🏻_

```javascript
// Закриваємо модальне віконечко при виникненні помилки.
toggleModal(false);
```

_Bad 👎🏻_

```javascript
// Hide modal window on error.
toggleModal(false);
```

### 💩 Try to mix formatting style as much as possible

Celebrate the difference.

_Good 👍🏻_

```javascript
let i = ['tomato', 'onion', 'mushrooms'];
let d = [ "ketchup", "mayonnaise" ];
```

_Bad 👎🏻_

```javascript
let ingredients = ['tomato', 'onion', 'mushrooms'];
let dressings = ['ketchup', 'mayonnaise'];
```

### 💩 Put as much code as possible into one line

_Good 👍🏻_

```javascript
document.location.search.replace(/(^\?)/,'').split('&').reduce(function(o,n){n=n.split('=');o[n[0]]=n[1];return o},{})
```

_Bad 👎🏻_

```javascript
document.location.search
  .replace(/(^\?)/, '')
  .split('&')
  .reduce((searchParams, keyValuePair) => {
    keyValuePair = keyValuePair.split('=');
    searchParams[keyValuePair[0]] = keyValuePair[1];
    return searchParams;
  },
  {}
)
```

### 💩 Fail silently

Whenever you catch an error it is not necessary for anyone to know about it. No logs, no error modals, chill.

_Good 👍🏻_

```javascript
try {
  // Something unpredictable.
} catch (error) {
  // tss... 🤫
}
```

_Bad 👎🏻_

```javascript
try {
  // Something unpredictable.
} catch (error) {
  setErrorMessage(error.message);
  // and/or
  logError(error);
}
```

### 💩 Do not lock your dependencies

Update your dependencies on each new installation in uncontrolled way. Why stick to the past, let's use the cutting edge libraries versions.

_Good 👍🏻_

```
$ ls -la

package.json
```

_Bad 👎🏻_

```
$ ls -la

package.json
package-lock.json
```

### 💩 Triangle principle

Be like a bird - nest, nest, nest.

_Good 👍🏻_

```javascript
function someFunction() {
  if (condition1) {
    if (condition2) {
      asyncFunction(params, (result) => {
        if (result) {
          for (;;) {
            if (condition3) {
            }
          }
        }
      })
    }
  }
}
```

_Bad 👎🏻_

```javascript
function someFunction() {
  if (!condition1 || !condition2) {
    return;
  }
  
  const result = await asyncFunction(params);
  if (!result) {
    return;
  }
  
  for (;;) {
    if (condition3) {
    }
  }
}
```

### 💩 Avoid covering your code with tests

This is a duplicate and unnecessary amount of work.