What Is Clean Code, Really?
“Clean code” is one of those expressions developers hear early and often in their careers. It’s often presented as a kind of golden standard—something we should all strive for. But ask five developers what it means, and you’ll likely get at least (!) five different answers.
Let’s clear the air.
Clean Code Is Not a Checklist
The book Clean Code by Robert C. Martin is widely read, and for good reason—it’s full of practical advice. But it’s important to remember: the book Clean Code is not the same as the concept of clean code.
Clean code isn’t a fixed set of rules you can apply blindly. It’s not a one-size-fits-all checklist, and it’s certainly not universal:
It depends on the programming language. What’s clean in Python might be clumsy in C++.
It depends on the context. A real-time system has different constraints than a mobile app.
It changes over time. Standards evolve as our tools, languages, and understanding improve.
And perhaps most importantly: clean code is not a silver bullet. It won't fix broken architecture or poor communication. But it does make those problems easier to spot—and easier to fix.
It’s worth noting that Robert C. Martin wrote another book focusing on Clean Architecture.
Then What Is Clean Code?
At its core, clean code is code that’s easy to understand and easy to change.
Let’s break that down.
Easy to Understand
You can read clean code and quickly grasp:
The execution flow – How control moves through the system
The object relationships – How components interact and depend on each other
The roles and responsibilities – What each class, function, or module is supposed to do
The purpose of each expression – Why this line exists, not just what it does
Understanding code should not feel like deciphering a riddle. Clean code tells a story.
Easy to Change
You can modify clean code without fear because:
Classes and modules have concise public interfaces
The code is easily testable—and ideally, comes with unit tests
Entities behave in predictable, consistent ways
Each component has a single, clear responsibility, and isn’t doing too much
When code is easy to change, you can fix bugs faster, add features with confidence, and refactor without holding your breath.
Clean Code Is a Pillar of Software Quality
Many oppose but I’m convinced that clean code is an important part of software quality. It’s difficult to talk about high quality software when the code is not clean.
But do we always need high quality code?
Not necessarily.
There are times when quality takes a backseat:
When building a proof of concept
When searching for product-market fit
When you must deliver fast to survive
In those moments, speed matters more than code quality. But once you’re past that stage, technical debt becomes real. Clean code becomes essential—not because it’s pretty, but because it makes your software sustainable.
We’ll dive deeper into what software quality really means in the next article.
Wrapping Up
Clean code isn’t about memorizing rules or copying a particular style—it’s about making your code easier to understand and easier to change. That’s it.
It looks different in different contexts. It evolves. But the goal stays the same: write code that helps—not hinders—the people who work with it.
Whether you’re writing a small script or maintaining a large system, clean code is one of the best tools you have to build better software—and better teams.
And as you grow as a developer, your definition of clean code will grow with you.