Which version of the instructions is clearest? Well, what does “clearest” mean? Consider these three different ways we might interpret “clearest,” and take just a minute or two to discuss with your group: Which version is most precise? Which version is most unambiguous? Which version was easiest for you to understand as you read it? When we talk about code being “clear,” about it having “clarity,” we are usually talking about #3 in that list: code that is easy for humans to understand. All computer code is precise and unambiguous, by definition, because a programming language must be readable by a machine. However, as you no doubt have seen in your own experience writing and reading code, some pieces of code are much easier for humans to understand than others! Because software is created by humans for humans, because each line of code in a typical software project is read by a human dozens or hundreds of times for every time it is modified, clarity matters. In most circumstances, good code is not clever or complex; it is obvious.
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