Back to Test Driven Development (TDD)

Refactoring

5 minutes 5 Questions

Refactoring is a disciplined approach for modifying the existing code structure without altering its external behavior. In TDD, refactoring is used after the testing phase once the code passes the test. The goal is to make the code more efficient, maintainable, and understandable. Refactoring plays…

Test mode:
Start practice test
PMI-ACP - Refactoring Example Questions

Test your knowledge of Refactoring

Question 1

Your team is working on an Agile project, and you've noticed that the codebase has become difficult to maintain. You decide that refactoring is necessary. Which of the following practices should your team prioritize during the refactoring process?

Correct Answer: Improving code readability

Refactoring aims to improve the internal structure of the code without changing its functionality. The main focus should be on improving code readability to allow for easier maintenance and understanding of the code. Other options such as adding new features or optimizing for performance come after ensuring the codebase is maintainable.

Question 2

In an Agile project, the team is facing performance issues. After analyzing the code, you identify areas that can benefit from refactoring. However, you're concerned about the risks involved. What strategy should you apply to minimize risks while refactoring?

Correct Answer: Refactor incrementally while maintaining a suite of tests

Refactoring incrementally while maintaining a suite of tests ensures that you introduce small changes, which are easier to manage. The tests reduce the risk of introducing new defects as the code is refactored. Alternatives such as stopping all other work or skipping tests may create more issues or hinder overall project progress.

Question 3

While developing a critical software, it's often found that the process is being delayed due to complicated and unstructured code which isn't easy to understand or modify. What solution in terms of refactoring would you recommend to ensure future smooth operation?

Correct Answer: Implement periodic refactoring, simplifying the code without changing its observable behavior, ensuring better maintainability for future use.

In agile development, a key element is to value 'Responding to change over following a plan'. This means that code should always be adaptable and easy to understand. While dealing with complex and unstructured code that makes a project lagging, implementing periodic refactoring is a suitable solution. Refactoring is a process of restructuring existing code (changing the factoring) without changing its external behavior. This makes the code cleaner, more structured, easier to read, understand, and update, which will be beneficial for future modification and maintenance. Considering 'Only refactor when a defect appears', it may not solve the problem of complicated and unstructured code, and it will also delay the project further each time a defect shows up. Introducing more complex coding conventions to the existing unstructured code will most likely add to the complications, making it harder to understand instead of simplifying it. Abandoning current development and starting fresh can indeed clean up the mess, but it's only a last resort when the code is completely unmanageable because time, effort, and resource have been invested in the current development that shouldn't go to waste.

More Refactoring questions
11 questions (total)
Start 11 question test