Reading Code Effectively: An Overlooked Developer Skill • Marit van Dijk & Hannes Lowette

This interview was recorded for GOTO Unscripted.https://gotopia.techRead the full transcription of this interview hereMarit van Dijk - Developer Advocate at JetBrains, Java Champion & Open Source ContributorHannes Lowette - Principal Consultant at Axxes, Monolith Advocate, Speaker & Whiskey LoverRESOURCESMarithttps://bsky.app/profile/maritvandijk.bsky.socialhttps://linkedin.com/in/maritvandijkhttps://github.com/mlvandijkhttps://medium.com/@mlvandijkhttps://maritvandijk.comHanneshttps://bsky.app/profile/hanneslowette.nethttps://twitter.com/hannes_lowettehttps://github.com/Belenarhttps://linkedin.com/in/hanneslowetteLinkshttps://www.felienne.comhttps://codereading.clubhttps://github.com/neontribe/code-reading-clubDESCRIPTIONReading code is a critical yet often underappreciated skill in software development. Marit van Dijk & Hannes Lowette highlight that while developers are trained to write code, they spend most of their time understanding existing codebases—often with incomplete documentation and evolving complexity.They discuss research-backed strategies, such as structured code reading exercises, participation in communities like the Code Reading Club, and leveraging modern IDE tools to navigate and comprehend unfamiliar code. The conversation underscores the importance of empathy in code reviews, writing clear commit messages, and using tests as documentation to improve collaboration and maintainability. By practicing code reading deliberately and utilizing available resources, developers can become more effective and adaptable in their work.RECOMMENDED BOOKSFelienne Hermans • The Programmer's BrainAdrienne Braganza Tacke • "Looks Good to Me": Constructive Code ReviewsDuncan McGregor & Nat Pryce • Java to KotlinSaleem Siddiqui • Learning Test-Driven DevelopmentRoy Osherove • The Art of Unit TestingTrisha Gee & Helen Scott • Getting to Know IntelliJ IDEAJacqui Read • Communication PatternsBlueskyInstagramLinkedInFacebookCHANNEL MEMBERSHIP BONUSJoin this channel to get early access to videos & other perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs_tLP3AiwYKwdUHpltJPuA/joinLooking for a unique learning experience?Attend the next GOTO conference near you! Get your ticket: gotopia.techSUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL - new videos posted daily!