Why the Boy Scout rule will make you a better developer
Improve code quality with small, incremental fixes
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Introduction: Why Messy Code Frustrates Developers
Imagine you’re tasked with fixing a small bug in an old codebase. You open the relevant file and immediately feel a wave of frustration, variables with meaningless names, outdated comments, functions doing way more than they should. You fix the bug, but the experience leaves a bad taste in your mouth.
Why didn’t the previous developers clean up their mess? Why do we keep inheriting code that is harder to work with than it should be?
This is where I think knowing the Boy Scout Rule will help us. The Boy Scouts have a simple principle:
“Leave the campground cleaner than you found it.” In software development, this translates to “Leave the code better than you found it.”
This isn’t just a best practice; it’s a mindset shift. When developers embrace this rule, they contribute to cleaner, more maintainable codebases without waiting for large-scale refactors.
In this article, you’ll learn why adopting the Boy Scout Rule will make you a better developer, how it prevents technical debt, and how to apply it in your daily work.
What is the Boy Scout Rule?
Origin of the Term
The phrase comes from the Boy Scouts of America, who teach young scouts to leave campsites in better condition than when they arrived. The idea is simple: small, consistent improvements create a better experience for everyone.
Let’s see how it applies in Software Development
Robert C. Martin (Uncle Bob), author of Clean Code, introduced this idea into software development. Instead of waiting for massive refactoring projects, he suggested that developers make incremental improvements every time they touch code.
Following the Boy Scout Rule means:
Renaming unclear variable names
Removing unused code
Splitting large functions into smaller, more focused ones
Writing or improving documentation
Replacing outdated practices with modern approaches
By consistently improving code in small ways, developers create a culture of quality that compounds over time.
The Importance of Incremental Code Improvement
Developers always say, including me, “I’ll clean this up later” or “We’ll refactor this in the next sprint.” But let’s be real: that rarely happens. There’s always a new feature to build, a bug to fix, or a deadline to meet. Refactoring takes a backseat; before you know it, messy code just sits there, growing worse with every update.
The longer it stays, the harder it becomes to fix. Every new layer of complexity makes it riskier to touch, and soon, what could have been a small improvement turns into a massive, intimidating refactor that no one has time for.
That’s why you shouldn’t wait for a “perfect time” to clean up code. Instead, make small, consistent improvements every time you work on a file.
If you come across a vague variable name like x1, rename it to something meaningful like customerId.
If you see a 100-line function, break it down into smaller, more manageable helper functions.
If there’s dead code taking up space, delete it. These tiny changes may seem insignificant at the moment, but they add up over time, making the codebase cleaner, more readable, and easier to maintain.
Just a few extra minutes each day is enough to prevent technical debt from piling up. When the code stays clean, future updates become smoother, debugging becomes faster, and I don’t have to waste time deciphering past decisions.
Think, like, my goal is simple:
leave the code a little better than I found it. Instead of waiting for that big refactor that may never happen, Focus on improving things now.
How to Apply the Boy Scout Rule in Your Daily Development
The Boy Scout Rule is simple: Leave the code better than you found it. But how do you actually make that a daily habit? It’s not about massive rewrites or dedicating full sprints to refactoring; it’s about small, meaningful improvements that add up over time.
Here’s how you can apply it every day:
Fix Small Things When You Touch the Code
Whenever you are working on a feature or fixing a bug, take an extra minute to clean up something small. Maybe rename a confusing variable so the next person (or future me) doesn’t have to decode its meaning. If you see a messy
ifstatement, simplify it. Unnecessary console logs or outdated comments? Get rid of them. These tiny changes don’t slow you down, but they make a big difference over time.Refactor Gradually Instead of Rewriting Everything
Bad code is everywhere: legacy files, old functions, and quick fixes that somehow became permanent. But the trick isn’t to rewrite everything in one go. Instead, break it down. Maybe today you extract a helper function to make a long method more readable. In a later PR, you can optimize performance. Step by step, the code improves without derailing your current tasks.
Make It a Team Habit
It’s easier to keep code clean when the whole team is on board. That’s why you can bring up small refactors in code reviews and encourage others to do the same. Instead of just pointing out problems, suggest simple improvements. When clean code becomes a shared responsibility, it doesn’t feel like a chore, it becomes part of how we work.
Improve Code Reviews with the Boy Scout Rule
Code reviews aren’t just about catching bugs; they’re an opportunity to improve code quality. Always appreciate when someone suggests a small refactor alongside their feedback; it makes the codebase better without extra effort. Also, highlight good improvements in PRs so the whole team learns from them. And to keep things smooth, rely on automated tools like linters and formatters to handle the basic clean-up so you can focus on the bigger improvements.
Challenges & Pushback: Why Developers Resist Cleaning Code
"I don’t have time for this!"
Small changes take seconds but save hours of future debugging. Incremental improvements reduce long-term complexity and maintenance costs.
"It’s not my responsibility!"
Everyone on a team owns the codebase. If no one improves it, it will degrade over time, hurting productivity for everyone.
The Long-Term Benefits of Following the Boy Scout Rule
When teams consistently apply this principle, they see major benefits:
Faster onboarding for new developers. A cleaner codebase makes it easier for newcomers to understand and contribute.
Less frustration when maintaining old code. Developers spend less time deciphering bad code and more time solving real problems.
Fewer bugs and better performance. Cleaner, well-structured code leads to fewer errors.
A team culture that values quality. When everyone takes ownership of code quality, the entire development process improves.
Conclusion: The Rule That Sets Great Developers Apart
The Boy Scout Rule isn’t about striving for perfection; it’s about continuous improvement. By making small, incremental changes every time you touch code, you create a healthier, more maintainable codebase.
Next time you work on a feature or fix a bug, challenge yourself: Find one small thing to improve. Do this consistently, and over time, you’ll become a better developer.
Great developers aren’t just coders; they’re caretakers of the codebase, ensuring that future generations of developers inherit something better than what came before.
Making small, continuous improvements not only enhances the codebase but also boosts motivation and confidence. Developers experience a sense of accomplishment when they leave things better than they found them. Over time, this builds a habit of writing clean, efficient code naturally.
As someone who is actively learning and trying to apply best practices in software development, I find that every small improvement teaches me something new. Whether it’s refactoring a function, cleaning up, or enhancing readability, I am continuously improving myself and my understanding of code quality. The journey towards mastering clean code is never-ending, but each incremental step makes a difference.
I hope that after reading this blog, you will also start taking these incremental steps to make your codebase cleaner.
Happy Coding!
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This article is crafted by Chhakuli Zingare, a passionate developer at CreoWis. You can reach out to her on X/Twitter, LinkedIn, and follow her work on the GitHub.