7 Tips to Enhance Structure and Readability in Your JavaScript Projects

You have learned JavaScript and are now able to build projects.

However, you find your code to be messy and feel that it is not structured properly. You end up putting a lot of lines into a single function or feel like there are too many functions defined.

Here are 7 tips to make your code well-organized and easy to read.

1. Modularization

• Break down your code into smaller, manageable modules. Each module should have a specific responsibility or handle a particular feature.

• Group related functionalities together in the same module.

// Instead of having everything in one file
function mainFunction() {
  // code...
  // code...
}

// Break it down into separate modules
// cartModule.js
function updateCart() {
  // code...
}

// productModule.js
function displayProductDetails() {
  // code...
}

// orderModule.js
function placeOrder() {
  // code...
}

2. Function Size

Aim for smaller, focused functions that perform a specific task. If a function becomes too long, consider breaking it down into smaller functions.

function postContent() {
  validateContent();
  processContent();
  updateDatabase();
  updateUI();
}

function validateContent() {
  // code...
}

function processContent() {
  // code...
}

function updateDatabase() {
  // code...
}

function updateUI() {
  // code...
}

3. Meaningful Names

• Use descriptive and meaningful names for variables, functions, and classes. Names should reveal the intent of the code.

• Avoid generic names like temp or single-letter variables unless their scope is very limited.

// Bad
const d = new Date();
const e = element;

// Good
const currentDate = new Date();
const targetElement = element;

4. Comments

• Use comments sparingly and only when necessary. The code should be self-explanatory.

• Comments should focus on the "why" rather than the "how" if the code is clear enough.

// Bad
// Increment count
count++;

// Good
// Incrementing count for tracking user actions
count++;

5. Formatting

• Consistently format your code to enhance readability. Use consistent indentation, spacing, and line breaks.

• Follow a coding style guide (e.g., Airbnb, Google) or use a linter to enforce consistent formatting.

// Bad
function messyCode() {
  let x = 1;
  return x + 2;
}

// Good
function cleanCode() {
  let x = 1;
  return x + 2;
}

6. Avoid Global Variables

Minimize the use of global variables. Instead, encapsulate your code within functions or modules to avoid polluting the global scope.

function startVideo() {
  let videoState = "playing";
  // code...
}

function pauseVideo() {
  let videoState = "paused";
  // code...
}

7. Use ES6 Features

Take advantage of modern JavaScript features, such as arrow functions, template literals, and destructuring, to write more concise and expressive code.

// Without ES6
const formattedDate = "Published on " + day + "/" + month + "/" + year;

// With ES6
const formattedDate = `Published on ${day}/${month}/${year}`;

Keep in mind that improvement comes with practice. Take the time to read through code written by others and seek feedback from fellow developers through code reviews.