Summary

Not all that is shining is gold, and not every piece of code that seems exciting and bears complex features is necessarily of high quality. The allure of shiny, intricate code can sometimes overshadow the fundamental qualities that define good programming practices. Good, stable code is frequently characterized by its straightforwardness and predictability rather than its flair. This type of code may seem unremarkable or mundane compared to more fun constructs, but it is precisely this simplicity that ensures robustness and ease of understanding. When you have to, please try to write boring, simple code, as it will be much easier to read in half a year from now, but every time you can afford to, please squeeze in a bear or two in your fun side project. Unless you plan to read it, too.

In our next chapter, Alex will go on a crusade to advocate the proper use of modern C++ libraries, in order to debunk the myth that C++ libraries are also stuck in the Stone Age.