When we start programming, all we care about is making it work.

But as the codebase grows, the game changes. Maintaining and evolving messy code drains energy and kills products.

It’s not about rules. It’s about decisions.

Here are some insights I carry with me — with simple Python examples. Practical. Clear. The way I wish I had learned them from the beginning.

💡 1. Duplicated Code Is Always a Sign

If you're copying and pasting with small changes... refactoring is calling.

Before:

def calculate_monthly_salary(hours_worked, hourly_rate):
    return hours_worked * hourly_rate

def calculate_overtime_salary(overtime_hours, hourly_rate):
    return overtime_hours * hourly_rate * 1.5

After:

def calculate_payment(hours, hourly_rate, multiplier=1):
    return hours * hourly_rate * multiplier

See the clarity? One single point of change. Explicit rule. Now the code becomes a tool — not a riddle.

💡 2. Bad Names Are Invisible Debt

Ever opened a function and thought, "WTF does this do?"

Yeah, we've all been there.

Renaming is refactoring. And you don’t have to be a genius — just descriptive.

Before:

def prc(v):
    return v * 0.9

After:

def apply_discount(amount, percent=10):
    return amount * (1 - percent / 100)

Tell me: which one makes sense instantly?

💡 3. Long Functions Are Productivity Traps

100-line functions aren’t power skills. They’re ticking time bombs.

Refactoring here means extracting responsibilities into new methods. That’s the gold.

Before:

def process_order(order):
    # validation
    if not order.items:
        raise Exception("Empty order.")
    if order.total < 0:
        raise Exception("Invalid total.")

    # calculation
    tax = order.total * 0.1
    total_with_tax = order.total + tax

    # sending
    send_confirmation_email(order.customer_email)

    return total_with_tax

After:

def process_order(order):
    validate_order(order)
    total = calculate_total_with_tax(order.total)
    send_confirmation(order.customer_email)
    return total

def validate_order(order):
    if not order.items:
        raise Exception("Empty order.")
    if order.total < 0:
        raise Exception("Invalid total.")

def calculate_total_with_tax(amount):
    return amount * 1.1

Clean, readable, testable.

💡 4. Refactoring Works Better With Tests

Refactoring without tests is like changing tires while the car is moving.

You can do it — but you really shouldn’t.

Before any major refactor, write a test to freeze the current behavior.

Then change everything under the hood — and make sure it still runs the same from the outside.

💡 5. “Make It Work First. Then Make It Right.”

This quote follows me daily. Refactoring is about postponing structural decisions until you have more context.

Not procrastination — just better timing.

So: made it work? Great.

Now clean the trail.

🚀 Final Thoughts

Refactoring is an act of respect.

For those maintaining your code. For those building on top of it. For yourself three months from now.

You don’t need a sprint.

You don’t need permission.

You just need to realize refactoring is not extra work — it’s part of the craft.

Wanna talk code, AI or automation? Hit me up on LinkedIn or check out my projects on GitHub. Let's level up together.