the standard for all code

what is Clean Code?

Clean Code is code that's easy to read, maintain, understand and change through structure and consistency yet remains robust and secure to withstand performance demands. It lets you get the most value out of your software.

Clean Code principles and best practices

In order to deliver software that is of high quality, reliable, maintainable, and secure, it is imperative that the underlying code is robust. By following best coding practices, organizations can achieve the agility, velocity, and scale of development needed for their business goals. 

  • consistent

  • intentional

  • adaptable

  • responsible

consistent code

The code is written in a uniform and conventional way. All the code looks similar and follows a regular pattern, even with multiple contributors at different times. Consistent code is formatted, conventional, and identifiable. For example, when code is formatted well, it is systematic and regular, which reduces differences between authors’ coding styles and makes code much easier to review by peers on pull requests.

  • Formatted: The code presentation is well-organized, systematic, and regular. Non-semantic choices, such as spacing, indentation, and character placement, remain consistent throughout the codebase, maintaining uniformity across files and authors.
  • Conventional: The code performs tasks with expected instructions. Faced with equally good options, the code adheres to a single choice across all instances, preferring language conventions. This includes using the appropriate programming interfaces and language features.
  • Identifiable: The names follow a regular structure based on language conventions without arbitrary differences. The casing, word separators, suffixes and prefixes used in the identifiers have purpose, without arbitrary differences.

Read the Clean Code blog post to learn more. 

why Clean Code?

The core of software is its code. Code not only directs behavior, but it also results in secure, reliable and maintainable performance. Keeping code clean will ensure that you get the most value out of your software and the right clean code tool can help you get there.

Discover clean code
Image shows code that passes the quality gate to ensure Clean Code.

what you can achieve with clean code

focus on developer velocity and innovation

Work with forward momentum rather than on technical debt, all while retaining your top development talent.

bits of code and quality checks are shown as an abstract of a developers environment.

minimize rework and maintenance

Clear and consistent Clean Code standards can be seamlessly integrated into your development workflow for easy adoption by all.

reduce risks and support a more secure codebase

Proactively address hotspots and vulnerabilities before they become a problem. This leads to fewer security breaches and less downtime.

clean code makes your software a long-term asset

how to reach a clean code state

Clean as You Code™ with Sonar™ is essential for achieving a Clean Code state. This simple, yet powerful approach optimizes the quality of your codebase by solely focusing on code that's added or changed. This progressively improves the overall quality of the entire codebase with minimal cost and effort. No major implementation or project delays - get started today! 

Clean as You Code
Image is representing developers and their code in a secure environment free of potential code vulnerabilities.

"Sonar has greatly helped us benchmark and standardize the quality of our codebase - and the LTS makes it much easier for us to deliver Clean Code. The integration with Azure DevOps from a project-to-project perspective as well as the token lifecycle management will be greatly appreciated by our admins and will help streamline our process."

Stefan Euripidou, Enterprise Architect @ Vodafone Group

Clean Code results in software that is:

secure

Clean Code is secure through early detection and feedback of security vulnerabilities and hotspots during code review.

Learn More About Secure Code

reliable

Clean Code creates and sustains reliability. When your software is reliable, anywhere and anytime, it creates trust among your teams and customers.

Learn More About Reliable Code

maintainable

Clean Code makes maintenance easy. A codebase that is maintainable enables an optimized development workflow for more scalable software.

Learn More About Maintainable Code

try a better way to code

Start with open sourceExplore all editions