Clean Code Principles

These principles apply to ALL code Bee produces, evaluates, or cleans up — regardless of architecture pattern, language, or framework. They are non-negotiable defaults. The target project's CLAUDE.md may add project-specific conventions on top of these.

YAGNI — You Aren't Gonna Need It

Don't build what nothing asks for.

Before writing any code, abstraction, or interface, ask: does a test or acceptance criterion require this RIGHT NOW?

• One implementation? Skip the interface. Extract the interface when a second implementation actually arrives.
• No test demands it? Don't build it. "Might need it someday" is not a reason.
• Unused parameters, empty extension points, commented-out feature flags — all YAGNI violations. Remove them.

DRY — Don't Repeat Yourself

Every piece of knowledge should have a single, authoritative representation.

• Extract on the third occurrence, not the second. Two similar blocks might be coincidence. Three means there's a pattern.
• DRY applies to knowledge, not syntax. Two functions with similar-looking code that handle different domain concepts are NOT duplication.
• Constants over magic values. If the same number/string appears in multiple places and means the same thing, extract it.

SRP — Single Responsibility Principle

Each unit of code should have one reason to change.

• Functions do one thing. If a function name has "and" in it, it does two things. Split it.
• Classes/modules have one owner. Ask "who would request a change to this?"
• Files stay focused. A 500-line file doing validation, HTTP handling, database queries, and email sending has at least four responsibilities.

Small Functions

Functions should be short enough to understand at a glance.

• 5-20 lines is the sweet spot. Over 30 lines, look for extraction opportunities. Over 50 is almost always too much.
• If you need a comment to explain a block of code, that block should be a function. The function name replaces the comment.

One Level of Abstraction

Every statement in a function should be at the same level of abstraction.

Don't mix high-level orchestration with low-level details.

Tidy First

Clean up before building, not after.

• Before adding a feature, tidy the area you're about to change. Separate commit.
• Small structural improvements make the feature change simpler and the diff reviewable.
• Don't tidy unrelated areas — scope tidying to the code you're about to touch.

Meaningful Names

Names should reveal intent. A reader should understand the code without needing comments.

• Variables: say what they hold. remainingAttempts not num.
• Functions: say what they do with a verb. calculateDiscount() not discount().
• Booleans: start with is, has, can, should.
• Avoid meaningless names: data, info, temp, result — unless scope is 1-2 lines.

Error Handling

Errors are not exceptional — they're expected. Handle them explicitly.

• Don't swallow errors. catch (e) {} is almost never correct.
• Fail fast and loud. Reject invalid input immediately with a clear error message.
• Use domain-specific errors. OrderNotFoundError not Error('not found').
• Errors at boundaries. Validate at the entry point. Inner layers can assume valid data.
• Don't use exceptions for control flow.

Dependency Direction

Dependencies always point inward — from less stable to more stable.

• HTTP handlers depend on services, never the reverse.
• Services depend on domain logic, never the reverse.
• Domain logic depends on nothing external.
• If an inner module imports from an outer module, the dependency is inverted.

Composition Over Inheritance

Prefer composing behavior from small, focused pieces over deep inheritance hierarchies. One level of inheritance is usually fine. Three levels — refactor.

Principle of Least Surprise

Code should do what its name says. Nothing more, nothing less.

A function called getUser() should not modify the user or trigger side effects.

Comments Are a Last Resort

A comment is a failure to express intent in code.

• Justified comments: legal headers, explanation of why, warnings, TODOs with ticket numbers.
• Noise comments: restating the code, mandated Javadoc, commented-out code.

Kent Beck's Four Rules of Simple Design

In priority order — the first rule wins when they conflict:

1. Passes the tests. Working code is non-negotiable.
2. Reveals intention. Every name, structure, and grouping should make purpose obvious.
3. No duplication. Every piece of knowledge has a single representation.
4. Fewest elements. Remove anything that doesn't serve the first three rules.

Applying These Principles

When producing code (TDD planners, quick-fix, programmer):

• The refactor step in RED-GREEN-REFACTOR is specifically for applying these principles.

When evaluating code (verifier, reviewer):

• SRP and dependency direction are the highest-priority checks.

When cleaning code (tidy):

• These principles define what "tidy" means. Focus on the change area.

When the target project has its own CLAUDE.md:

• Project conventions take precedence for project-specific rules.
• These Bee principles still apply for universal code quality.

Additional Resources

Reference Files

For detailed code examples illustrating each principle, consult:

• references/code-examples.md — Concrete code examples for YAGNI, DRY, SRP, abstraction levels, naming, error handling, and anti-patterns like feature envy, Law of Demeter violations, and null returns.