Fwd: Compiler Guided Refactoring.

The context for this is a Very Large body of embedded C, real time
critical, resource constrained code.

So, we have an opportunity to get a bunch of Summer Students in to "do
stuff".

Now this is always a bit of a problem... it often takes a highly experience
developer 6 months or more to become really useful and good at not
accidentally breaking things.

So I have an idea.

A very simple idea.

I plan on getting the summer student to play a very simple Refactoring Game.

He(she?) may change a single declaration in a single file....

And then compile.

The _only_ sort of change permitted is a _strengthening_ on the constraints
checked and enforced by the compiler (and/or splint).

No change of behaviour is permitted. ie. True refactorings only.

If it fails and can be trivially fixed, eg. Making the same change to the
definition as made to the declaration. Do so, else, revert.

Maybe make a note of what you were trying to do, but revert the change.

If the fix would have involved first doing a matching tightening of a
declaration used by some dependent part of the code... revert and make that
change first. (Mikado Method style)

If it compiles / links / runs tests.... push to the mainline.

The changes I expect to make are utterly trivial....

Make something "const".

Make something that is "global" scope, file "static".

Make a file scoped "static",  function scoped.

Split big uncohesive files.

Remove a #include.

The critical factors here are....
* True refactorings only (no change in behaviour).
* Trivial changesets, trivial to review.
* Trivial changesets, whose value is banked hourly.
* Only strengthen constraints the compiler enforces.
* No introduction of risk.

Any other strengthenings you can think of?

Of course, a Good Summer Student is going to get Bored Silly.

He will be Lazy with a Big L.

He is going to get Impatient.

He will believe he can think a Better Way of doing this....

And therein lies the True Challenge.



--
John Carter                             Phone : (64)(3) 358 6639
Tait Electronics                       Fax   : (64)(3) 359 4632
PO Box 1645 Christchurch       Email : [email protected]
New Zealand

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