Refactoring is a crucial step in software development that involves making changes to the structure of code in order to improve its design, readability, and maintainability, without altering its functionality. It is like renovating a house to improve its layout and make it more efficient.
The goal of refactoring is to enhance the internal structure of code by eliminating any code smells, such as duplication, complex logic, long methods, and excessive dependencies. This makes the code easier to understand, test, and modify, reducing the likelihood of bugs and improving overall code quality.
Refactoring allows developers to continuously improve their codebase without introducing new features or changing its external behavior. It is an iterative process that involves small, incremental changes, ensuring that the code remains functional throughout the refactoring process.
Common refactoring techniques include extracting methods to reduce duplication, simplifying complex conditionals, renaming variables and functions for clarity, optimizing data structures and algorithms, and improving overall code organization. Refactoring can be performed manually or aided by automated refactoring tools provided by integrated development environments (IDEs).