My Experience With ESLint
21 Sep 2023
Before taking this course, coding standards have always been a difficult topic for me. In previous computer science courses, specifics about formatting, attention to spacing, and code documentation weren’t strictly enforced. When using tools such as ESLint in IntelliJ, these uncertainties become clearer. During my first week of learning how to use ESLint and IntelliJ, I feel that I’ve learned a lot about what “good code” can look like.
Compared to before I started using ESLint, my code looks much more visually appealing and it has become much easier to read. While doing coding assignments for ICS 314, I noticed that my code contained many yellow underlines, indicating that it was not up to standard. At first, I was surprised that ESLint was so particular about my usage of spaces and indents. I realize now that these errors are important to recognize, especially when your projects begin to have an audience. Going back and reading older projects, I found that although my project ran the way it should have, it was not very clear to read. My variable naming conventions were not intuitive, my bracket placing was inconsistent and my spacing all made my code difficult to understand. With ESLint, I am now able to see my errors corrected in real time while being given an explanation as well.
I believe that there are aspects in which you can also use ESLint to learn a programming language as well. Each language has its own specific standards, and using ESLint, oftentimes mistakes are given “suggestions” that can be used to improve projects. For example, I noticed that ESLint often times corrected my if-then and return statements. It gave me suggestions on how to use less repetitive words. There is only so much an instructor can teach in their time, so while in class I have learned the basics, tools like ESLint can be used to enhance the skills I’ve acquired.
My only issue with ESLint would be that it now takes me longer to produce a finished project. Going back one by one to view ESLint errors can be time-consuming, and can become frustrating when my error is only a space after a semi-colon. Now, instead of relying on ESLint to fix my errors, I will focus on creating well written to start with.