Software Engineering 103: Issue Tracker, Version Control and Code Editor
Published on: 16-11-2023
1. Use an issue tracker for your software
Use this practice from the beginning of the project. Everyone involved in the project will be able to track items that are in progress and issues that require attention. Issues may be project requirements, as well as bugs that need fixing.
Tracking an issue usually means:
- Reporting an issue. A team member identifies and describes the issue in a new ticket in the issue tracking software. It's recommended to include relevant items (e.g. form data, screenshots) to reproduce it.
- Assigning the issue to one or more team members who are responsible for the code and have sufficient knowledge to tackle it.
- Tracking the issue. There are many statuses relevant to a ticket for an issue, from 'todo', to 'in progress', to 'done'. It can also receive additional comments and involve more people, as the need arises.
- Resolving the issue. Upon resolving the issue, the ticket can be marked as closed.
2. Use a version control system
If your team is larger, you will easily see the benefits to using a version control system. Its benefits are:
- It prevents developers from overwriting each other's code. Each developer can work on his own branch locally, then merge his changes to a common branch.
- New updates and merges can be completed more easily. The version control system updates the code with little manual intervention. Even when conflicts arise in the code, they are highlighted for a more rapid resolution.
- You can return to previous versions of code, via its update history, without interrupting work. This allows e.g. fixing issues that may be years old.
- You can have multiple concurrent branches of code at the same time. This is useful for e.g. experimenting with new features.
3. Use a suitable code editor
Don’t cut corners when it comes to choosing a suitable code editor that helps you write, update and execute your code. It can help you increase productivity by recommending coding standards and best practices. Useful features are:
- Linting which highlights syntax errors, potential bugs and style violations.
- Formatting which automatically adjusts your code to match a certain style guide.
Don’t forget to configure your code editor based on the project’s requirements. A lot of variables from language version, to various standards can be set up to have your editor save you time while you are writing code.
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