When we hear refactoring what comes to mind? I am sure it would be like we just modify the previous code for some reason. That could be because it had some bugs or maybe it was the expensive approach. There could be thousands of reasons that you might want to refactor your code. That's why in this article you will learn what Code Refactoring is and how can one refactor their code. In this article, I'll also cover some of the most popular refactoring tools and techniques in C#.

What is Code Refactoring?

Code Refactoring is the process of improving code without changing its behavior. It is often done to make code more readable and maintainable. Refactoring helps developers take existing code and make it cleaner and more reusable, which makes it easier to work with in the future.

Code Refactoring can be done at different levels. Following are some common refactoring techniques include:

• Extract method: Refactor a portion of code into its method
• Rename: Rename a variable or method to better reflect its purpose
• Remove duplication: Remove repeated code by creating a share function or a class

There may be more properties, but ultimately the main point matters. Now let's take a look at some of the best tools for refactoring your code.

Resharper

Resharper is a popular C# refactoring tool that can improve code quality and maintainability. It offers a range of features, including code completion, code analysis, code formatting, code cleanup, and more.

Here's an example of using ReSharper to extract a method:

// Before method extraction
public void CalculateSalary(Employee employee)
{
    if (employee.HoursWorked > 40)
    {
        employee.Salary += (employee.HoursWorked - 40) * employee.HourlyRate * 1.5;
    }
}
 
// After method extraction
public void CalculateSalary(Employee employee)
{
    if (IsOvertime(employee))
    {
        employee.Salary += CalculateOvertimePay(employee);
    }
}
 
private bool IsOvertime(Employee employee)
{
    return employee.HoursWorked > 40;
}
 
private decimal CalculateOvertimePay(Employee employee)
{
    return (employee.HoursWorked - 40) * employee.HourlyRate * 1.5;
}

In the above example, the ReSharper tool was used to extract the overtime calculation into a separate CalculateOvertimePay method, making the code more readable and easier to maintain.

CodeRush

CodeRush is another C# refactoring tool that offers numerous features for improving productivity and code quality. It also includes a range of code templates and productivity tools.

Here's an example of using CodeRush to introduce a parameter:

// Before parametrization
 
public int Add(int value1)
{
    return value1 + 5;
}
 
// After parametrization
 
public int Add(int value1, int value2)
{
    return value1 + value2;
}
 
public int Add(int value1)
{
    return Add(value1, 5);
}

In the above example, the CodeRush tool was used to introduce a value2 parameter to the Add method and a second overload of the Add method that accepts only one argument and calls the version with two.

CodeMaid

CodeMaid is an open-source Visual Studio extension to cleanup and simplifies our C#, C++, F#, VB, PHP, PowerShell, R, JSON, XAML, XML, ASP, HTML, CSS, LESS, SCSS, JavaScript and TypeScript coding.

Here's an example of using CodeMaid to reorganize class members:

// Before reorganization
 
public class Employee
{
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public int Age { get; set; }
    public decimal Salary { get; set; }
}
 
// After reorganization
 
public class Employee
{
    public int Age { get; set; }
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public decimal Salary { get; set; }
}

In the above example, the CodeMaid tool was used to reorganize the class members in alphabetical order by name.

Refactoring Essentials

This extension provides refactoring for C# and VB.NET, including code best practice analyzers to improve your projects. Development of this extension has wound down, it is kept in the marketplace to allow for continued installation.

// Before loop conversion
 
for (int i = 0; i < list.Count; i++)
{
    var item = list[i];
    // ...
}
 
// After loop conversion
 
foreach (var item in list)
{
    // ...
}

In the above example, the Refactoring Essentials was used to convert the for loop to a foreach loop, making the code more readable and easier to maintain.

NCrunch

NCrunch is a test runner that provides continuous testing for C# projects, including refactoring tools and advanced code coverage analysis.

Here's an example of using NCrunch to refactor a try-catch block:

// Before try-catch refactoring
 
try
{
    // ...
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
    Console.WriteLine(ex.Message);
}
 
// After try-catch refactoring
 
try
{
    // ...
}
catch (CustomException ex) when (ex.Code == ErrorCode.InvalidInput)
{
    Console.WriteLine("Invalid Input");
}
catch (CustomException ex) when (ex.Code == ErrorCode.DuplicateItem)
{
    Console.WriteLine("Duplicate Item");
}

In the above example, the NCrunch tool was used to refactor the catch block by using multiple when clauses for more specific exception handling.

Wrapping up

These code refactoring tools can help you take your code to the next level by improving code quality, reducing complexity, and keeping your codebase maintainable and scalable.