Code readability primarily suffers from complex visual patterns, affecting mental fatigue during audits. Key factors include: 1) Halstead metrics like operator/operand counts suggest smaller functions are easier to read; 2) Cognitive Complexity emphasizes tasks that disrupt linearity, such as nested conditionals and shorthand constructs; 3) Proper naming and minimizing variable lifespan improve understanding. Eight patterns for better readability are proposed: use fewer lines/operators, avoid novelty, group functions logically, simplify conditionals, limit goto statements, reduce nesting, choose distinct names, and shorten variable liveness. These guidelines provide objective measures for improving code clarity.
What Makes Code Hard To Read: Visual Patterns of Complexity
