How to get rid of ugly PHP code without sacrificing hours?
Programming is an art and only a few people have it. This is the prime reason why every individual completing a degree in computer science or information technology does not pursue programming on a professional scale. PHP programmers are responsible for writing code so that state of the art web applications can be prepared. These programmers are responsible for creating the front end using PHP while the back end is developed using a subsequent platform. While applying complex logic and making things work, the written code actually loses all its beauty. Even an experienced developer who was not involved during the phase of development would not understand flow by looking at the code statements. Even if an application is working perfectly and there are no technical deficiencies, the written code cannot be submitted with a haphazard appearance. It has to be improved before the final application deployment is completed.
Why do programmers end up with ugly code?
People who pay their hard-earned money to get applications developed strongly want the code to look attractive. The preference is there even if they are unable to develop any technical understanding. The important question is why do programmers have ugly written code in the first place. There are multiple reasons to support this statement. Some of them are written below.
1. Developers have to execute the application successfully
While programming, it is not possible to balance anything else along with successful execution. Developers, type extra spaces unintentionally while they are writing the code segments. At that time, they have to make the application run so keeping a check on how the code looks is not a possibility for them. Consider that you are a PHP programmer and your application is not connecting successfully with the related database. This is a major problem and faced by developers commonly. In such a situation, development would focus on establishing the connection. The question of how good or bad the code is looking would not arise in his mind at all.
2. Concentration and focus cannot be shifted
Programming is not something which can be done with slight concentration. Developers have to use all their concentration while writing the syntax. They cannot afford to pay attention to any other task in parallel. For instance, if the code is losing its beauty, the developer cannot stop the actual development process and start working on it. Several functional errors are created if a programmer does not pay attention to code preparation. In a nutshell, one of the key reasons for the ugly PHP code is that the developer has to focus on the functional requirements of the application. If these requirements are not met successfully, the application would not run. Thus, putting the execution at risk to improve the appearance of the code is not a feasible move.
3. Meeting the timelines for technical goals
Every development goal has a time frame attached to it. Whether a developer is programming on PHP or any other development platform, he has to make sure that the timelines are met. A lot of clients emphasize timely deployment and the payable cost is based on it. Hence, deadlines cannot be extended in any way.
- In order to get done with things on time, developers have to work with a well-defined plan. It comprises of a list of programming tasks along with the time required to complete them. None of these tasks can be paused or delayed to improve the appearance of the code. Hence, code beautifying is something which developers can only work on once all the technical requirements have been successfully met.
A code beautifier is the simplest solution
To start with, developers do not have the time to restructure each code statement when they are done with the technical goals. They have to meet very tight deadlines and sufficient time for completing this task is not available. The use of a code beautifying tool is a commendable alternative because it rearranges the code layout instantly. Most applications have several lines of code and if you are using a quality beautifier, this would not make any difference. Quality tools run through the code and improve its appearance without any hassle. For programmers, these tools act as a major source of help.
- When it comes to beautifying the code, there are two factors which make the difference. One of them is the efficiency of code beautification and the other is the time needed to complete the process. It can be a problem for users when they get stuck with low-quality code beautification tools. These tools have several problems including consumption of long time frames. At times, they get stuck due to which the developer has to wait unnecessarily. Hence, developers should take their time and look at multiple code beautifying tools before reaching a decision. It is better to test each tool before accepting or rejecting it.
Conclusion
The life of a programmer is quite challenging at times. He has to go through a lot when it comes to submitting deliverables. For instance, it is not necessary that the code would run successfully before the deployment. Bugs often occur at the last moment due to which the developer has to debug on an ad-hoc basis. An application on PHP or any other platform cannot be deployed until it runs without any technical issues. It is quite hard for programmers to focus on any other task including code beautification.
The PHP beautifier is a good strong alternative to work on the code appearance. Each line is formatted without the developer spending a single minute. Secondly, as tools do not make errors like humans, code alignment and all other tasks are completed according to expectations. Users do not have to worry about the efficiency level.
Most users do not face any ambiguities while using code beautifiers because they are free to use. However, it is better to spend some time and locate reliable ones as some beautifiers lack reliability. They skip code sections during the formatting process.
