code-clarity-and-docs

Code Clarity and Documentation

STOP - The Obviousness Rule

If a code reviewer says your code is not obvious, it is not obvious -- regardless of how clear it seems to you.

For new code: Write comments BEFORE implementation. If the comment is hard to write, fix the design, not the comment.

---

Comments-First Workflow

For new classes/methods, write comments BEFORE implementation:

1. Write class interface comment (what abstraction it provides)
2. Write interface comments for public methods (signatures + comments, empty bodies)
3. Iterate on comments until structure feels right
4. Write instance variable declarations with comments
5. Fill in method bodies, adding implementation comments as needed
6. New methods discovered during implementation: comment before body
7. New variables: comment at same time as declaration

Applies to: writing from scratch, copy-paste-modify, extending functions (>5 lines), interface-changing refactors, prototype-to-production, test methods, non-trivial lambdas.

Exempt (but document why): one-liner utilities with precise names, trivial getters/setters, character-level bug fixes, temp debug code (mark // TEMP:).

---

Comment Types and When to Use Them

Type	Where	Purpose
Interface	Declarations	Define abstraction, usage info -- required for every public entity
Implementation	Inside methods	Help understand what code does -- optional for simple methods
Cross-Module	Dependencies	Describe cross-boundary relationships

Interface vs Implementation Comments

Interface Comment	Implementation Comment
Describes externally visible behavior	Describes internal workings
Defines the abstraction	Helps understand how code works
What user needs to use it	What maintainer needs to modify it
Never include implementation details	Can reference interface concepts

---

The "Different Words" Test

If your comment restates the code, it adds zero value. Comments must use different words than the entity they describe.

Bad	Good
# Gets user for getUser()	# Fetches user from cache, falling back to DB
# Process data	# Processes data in chunks to stay under memory limit
i++ // increment i	Don't comment this at all

Comment Anti-Patterns

Anti-Pattern	Example	Problem
Repeat the code	i++ // increment i	Zero value
State the obvious	// loop through users	Noise
Stale comment	Comment says X, code does Y	Dangerous
TODO forever	// TODO: fix this from 2019	Clutter
Commented-out code	Dead code as comment	Confusion

Patterns That Add Value

Pattern	Example
Explain rationale	// Use insertion sort: n < 10 always
Warn about non-obvious	// Must call before X, else crash
Summarize algorithm	// Binary search on sorted timestamps
Document edge case	// Empty list returns -1, not null
Reference external	// Per RFC 7231 section 6.5.4

---

Variable Comment Checklist

For each variable, answer in the comment:

• What are the units? (seconds? milliseconds? bytes?)
• Are boundaries inclusive or exclusive?
• What does null mean, if permitted?
• Who owns the resource (responsible for freeing/closing)?
• What invariants always hold?

Goal: Comment should be complete enough that readers never need to examine all usage sites.

---

Naming Principles

Two Required Properties

Property	Requirement	Test
Precision	Name clearly conveys what entity refers to	"Can someone seeing this name in isolation guess what it refers to?"
Consistency	(1) Always use this name for this purpose (2) Never use it for other purposes (3) All instances have same behavior	Check all usages

Naming Procedure

1. Name Evaluation Test:
   "If someone sees this name without declaration or context,
   how closely can they guess what it refers to?"

2. Precision Check:
   - Could this name refer to multiple things? -> Too vague
   - Does this name imply narrower usage than actual? -> Too specific
   - Target: name matches actual scope exactly

3. Consistency Check:
   - Is this name used everywhere for this purpose?
   - Is this name used ONLY for this purpose?
   - Do all variables with this name behave identically?

Common Naming Mistakes

Mistake	Example	Fix
Vague status words	blinkStatus	cursorVisible
Too generic	getCount()	numActiveIndexlets
Too specific	delete(Range selection)	delete(Range range) if it works on any range
Similar names, different things	socket vs sock	Distinct, descriptive names
Type in name	strName	Just name
Class repeated in variable	File.fileBlock	File.block

---

Red Flags (Code Clarity)

Red Flag	What It Signals
Comment repeats code	Rewrite with different words
Hard to describe	Design problem -- fix the design
Hard to pick name	Design smell -- entity lacks clean design
Vague name (status, flag, data)	Conveys little information
Interface describes implementation	Shallow abstraction
Implementation contaminates interface	Violates separation of concerns

---

README Accuracy Checklist

• Does README describe current behavior?
• Are setup instructions still valid?
• Do examples still work?
• Are dependencies current with package manifests?
• Is the feature list accurate?

---

Changelog Update Checklist

• Breaking changes documented with migration instructions?
• New features listed with usage examples?
• Bug fixes noted with issue references?
• Version number bumped if needed?

---

AI Documentation Audit

Check all AI config files that exist in the project:

File	Tool
CLAUDE.md	Claude Code
.cursorrules / .cursorignore	Cursor
.github/copilot-instructions.md	GitHub Copilot
AGENTS.md	Copilot Workspace
.windsurfrules	Windsurf
.aider.conf.yml	Aider
.continue/config.json	Continue.dev
.clinerules	Cline
.roomodes	Roo Code
CONVENTIONS.md	Various

• AI docs reflect current architecture?
• Agent/skill descriptions accurate?
• File structure documentation up to date?
• All AI config files consistent with each other?
• Version numbers synchronized across docs and manifests?

---

Severity Guide

Finding	Severity
README contradicts actual behavior	CRITICAL
API doc says wrong return type	CRITICAL
Stale comment causes bug risk	CRITICAL
CLAUDE.md describes deleted/renamed files	CRITICAL
New public API undocumented	IMPORTANT
Breaking change not in changelog	IMPORTANT
CLAUDE.md missing new features/agents	IMPORTANT
AI doc version mismatch	IMPORTANT
Stale TODO from distant past	SUGGESTION
Could add clarifying comment	SUGGESTION
Minor README improvement	SUGGESTION

---

Chain

After	Next
Comments/naming done	code-clarity-and-docs (CHECKER)
Docs verified	Done (pre-commit gate)