This document describes The Brutal Refactoring Game workshop conducted by Peter Kofler. The workshop aims to improve code quality through pair programming and refactoring code to remove code smells. It will involve participants coding a Tic-Tac-Toe game in pairs, with Kofler acting as a "benevolent dictator" stopping work whenever a code smell is detected until it is refactored away. The session concludes with a discussion of lessons learned.

1. The Brutal
Refactoring
Game
#CodeCopTour, Sept. 2013
Peter Kofler, ‘Code Cop’
@codecopkofler
www.code-cop.org
Copyright Peter Kofler, licensed under CC-BY.

2. PETER KOFLER, CODE-COP.ORG
FANATIC ABOUT CODE QUALITY
Peter Kofler
• Ph.D. (Appl. Math.)
• Software Developer
for 14 years
• “fanatic about code quality”
• Pair Programming #CodeCopTour

3. PETER KOFLER, CODE-COP.ORG
FANATIC ABOUT CODE QUALITY
Workshop Structure
●
Introduction 15'
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3 Sessions a 30'
●
Retrospective 15'

4. PETER KOFLER, CODE-COP.ORG
FANATIC ABOUT CODE QUALITY
Coding Dojo Mindset
Safe place outside work
●
Mistakes are ok
●
●
We are here to learn
Need to slow down
●
Focus on doing it right
●

5. Don't Focus on
Getting it Done.
F0cus on Doing
It Perfectly.

6. PETER KOFLER, CODE-COP.ORG
FANATIC ABOUT CODE QUALITY
Code Smells

7. PETER KOFLER, CODE-COP.ORG
FANATIC ABOUT CODE QUALITY
List of Code Smells
1. Lack of tests
9. Feature envy
2. Name not from domain
10. Method too long (> 6 lines)
3. Name not expressing intent
11. Too many parameters (> 3)
4. Unnecessary if
12. Test – not unitary
5. Unnecessary else
13. Test – setup too complex
6. Duplication of constant
14. Test – unclear Act
7. Method does more than one
thing
15. Test - more than one assert
8. Primitive obsession
17. Test – too many paths
16. Test – no assert

8. PETER KOFLER, CODE-COP.ORG
FANATIC ABOUT CODE QUALITY
Benevolent Dictator
●
I want the cleanest code possible!
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Any smell must be removed immediately
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I will stop you whenever I spot a smell
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Adding functionality is forbidden until
you refactor the smell away.

9. PETER KOFLER, CODE-COP.ORG
FANATIC ABOUT CODE QUALITY
Tic-Tac-Toe
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tic-tac-toe
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Board 3x3
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X plays first, O plays second
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Check if/who is winner

10. PETER KOFLER, CODE-COP.ORG
FANATIC ABOUT CODE QUALITY
What Exactly Will We Do?
1. Group into pairs
2. Write code (25')
●
●
Write tests
Refactor
brutally
3. Discuss (5')
●
Disagreement
Cards

11. →Practice

12. PETER KOFLER, CODE-COP.ORG
FANATIC ABOUT CODE QUALITY
Closing Circle
●
What did you learn today?
●
What surprised you today?
●
What will you do
differently in the
future?

13. PETER KOFLER, CODE-COP.ORG
FANATIC ABOUT CODE QUALITY
Peter Kofler
@codecopkofler
www.code-cop.org
Game by
Adrian Bolboaca
@adibolb
http://blog.adrianbolboaca.ro/2013/07/brutal-refactoring-game/

14. PETER KOFLER, CODE-COP.ORG
FANATIC ABOUT CODE QUALITY
CC Images
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Playmobil http://www.flickr.com/photos/williac/99551756/
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todos http://www.flickr.com/photos/kylesteeddesign/3724074594/
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Dojo http://www.flickr.com/photos/49715404@N00/3267627038/
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smells http://www.flickr.com/photos/hhbw/4215183405/
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question mark http://www.flickr.com/photos/oberazzi/318947873/
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wants you http://www.flickr.com/photos/shutter/105497713/