Isaac and Jeffrey discuss the myth of the Boy Scout rule, which is the idea of leaving code better than you found it. Isaac shares his experience of encountering problems when trying to follow this rule in a codebase with no test coverage. He explains how fixing one issue led to unintended consequences and a cascade of errors. They emphasize the importance of being cautious when making changes in old and tightly coupled code and the need for thorough testing. They conclude that while refactoring is important, it should be done intentionally and not mixed with other changes.
Watch on YouTube or listen to it at NeverRewrite, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Amazon Music, and let us know if you have ever been involved in a rewrite. We would love to have you on the show to discuss your experience!
