What you need to know to write great code - Chapter 1 Flashcards
What does Volume 1 (WGC1) specifically cover?
Understanding the machine and low-level details that are essential for writing efficient code.
Why is it important to write great code?
Because a program’s performance and efficiency depend on how the code interacts with hardware. A programmer who understands how computers execute programs can make better decisions about data structures and algorithms, resulting in more efficient, maintainable, and scalable software.
What is Machine Organization?
It is a subset of computer architecture that covers low-level data types, internal CPU organization, memory organization and access, low-level machine operations, mass storage organization, peripherals, and how computers communicate with the rest of the world.
Why is Machine Organization important for a programmer?
It helps understand how computer systems execute programs and how programming language abstractions map to the machine’s low-level hardware capabilities.
What often causes poor performance in modern applications?
Programmers create bottlenecks because they don’t understand the implications of memory access in their programs.
What is “great code”?
It is software that follows a consistent set of rules and priorities established for that specific project. There’s no single definition of “great code” - what matters is that it consistently meets the priorities set for that particular program.
What are the fundamental characteristics of great code?
Great code must be:
- Fast (CPU efficient)
- Light (memory efficient)
- Efficient with system resources
- Easy to read and maintain
- Well tested and robust
- Well documented
