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  "date": "2007-10-10T03:59:02.000Z",
  "layout": "post",
  "tags": [
    "code",
    "style",
    "programming",
    "poetry"
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  "title": "Beautiful Code",
  "wordpress_id": 1065,
  "wordpress_slug": "beautiful-code",
  "wordpress_url": "http://decafbad.com/blog/2007/10/09/beautiful-code",
  "year": "2007",
  "month": "10",
  "day": "09",
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  "slug": "beautiful-code",
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  "postName": "2007-10-09-beautiful-code",
  "html": "<p><a href=\"http://michael-mccracken.net/wp/2007/10/09/the-editing-pass/\">Michael McCracken</a>: \"<i>Once you get a piece of code to the point where you believe it works - it's passing its tests - go back over it and edit it. That is, go back and edit it for clarity, flow, and style. Just as if it were an essay.</i>\"</p>\n<p>This is something I just don't hear enough of - code as writing, code as communication.  While I don't always make time to polish as much as I'd like, I'm always thinking about things like narrative and flow of a file of source code as well as the aesthetic shape and form of the code.  Code is fiction, code is poetry.</p>\n<p>Compilation free of syntax and parse errors is baseline competence - and sometimes just good luck.  Apparent correct operation is not good enough: Moving on before the code has beauty is a poverty.  Ugly code kills motivation and comprehension - which attracts bugs and induces a downward spiral in morale.</p>\n<p>Unit tests clear the way for courage and bravery; beauty yields living code worth fighting for.</p>\n",
  "body": "<p><a href=\"http://michael-mccracken.net/wp/2007/10/09/the-editing-pass/\">Michael McCracken</a>: \"<i>Once you get a piece of code to the point where you believe it works - it's passing its tests - go back over it and edit it. That is, go back and edit it for clarity, flow, and style. Just as if it were an essay.</i>\"</p>\r\n<p>This is something I just don't hear enough of - code as writing, code as communication.  While I don't always make time to polish as much as I'd like, I'm always thinking about things like narrative and flow of a file of source code as well as the aesthetic shape and form of the code.  Code is fiction, code is poetry.</p>\r\n<p>Compilation free of syntax and parse errors is baseline competence - and sometimes just good luck.  Apparent correct operation is not good enough: Moving on before the code has beauty is a poverty.  Ugly code kills motivation and comprehension - which attracts bugs and induces a downward spiral in morale.</p>\r\n<p>Unit tests clear the way for courage and bravery; beauty yields living code worth fighting for.</p>\n",
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