DRY — Don’t Repeat Yourself: Principles and Best Practices

The “Don’t Repeat Yourself” (DRY) principle is a foundational concept in software development that helps create cleaner, more maintainable code. Coined by Andy Hunt and Dave Thomas in The Pragmatic Programmer, DRY advocates for reducing code duplication by ensuring each piece of knowledge or logic has a single, unambiguous, authoritative representation in a system.

Following DRY can be challenging, especially in large projects where repetitive code may seem like a shortcut. However, adhering to this principle brings clear benefits: fewer bugs, easier maintenance, and a more manageable codebase. In this article, we’ll explore how to apply DRY effectively in Angular and TypeScript, examine when to make exceptions, and present examples that demonstrate the power of DRY.

Key Takeaways

• Reduce Repetition in Code: The fewer duplications, the fewer places for bugs to hide.
• Improved Maintainability: Changes are easier to implement without the need to modify redundant code blocks across the project.