The Benefits of Reusing Code For Software Development

Modern software development has rapidly evolved the focus of the field from creating new and innovative software to finding ways to make development processes sustainable, smarter, more productive, and faster. Consequently, tech solutions – like inbound routing features – are now inseparable from business operations.

Thanks to the unanimity of software within various fields, teams and companies are faced with the need to repeat many operations. Here, code reuse, or the practice of reshaping existing code to fit new demands, is invaluable.

What Is Code Reuse?

Code reuse is the act of recycling or repurposing code parts to improve existing or to create new software. Write it once, use it multiple times, or even better, Low-code (where someone else or some other group writes the underlying code for you). Low-code solutions strongly rely on code reuse, as they provide core functions and enhance the presentation of code to simplify user experience.

Filestack’s low-code Workflows solution is built off of the code reuse principle. The backend programming is identical to our SDK functionalities, yet it is presented entirely differently. While the SDKs require working knowledge of the language you choose to initialize Filestack in, Workflows removes this barrier-of-entry completely. Using Workflows requires no real developer experience, as all the complex API methods are represented in a straightforward click-and-add node-to-node logic pathway.

The Challenges of Reusing Code

While it sounds simple to say “Well, let’s reuse some old code”, like bringing last night’s leftovers back to life with a little heat, it takes a lot more than that. So, what challenges might you face when trying to reuse software and code?

Organization and Administration

As your business grows, so too will the scale of projects you will work on. With this growth, it can become challenging to keep track of your data and information. Poor archiving leads to difficulties in locating code, which then blocks your wish to reuse it.

However, business growth doesn’t just affect access to old code. Once you’ve managed to locate it again, the changing scale of your company can impact its effectiveness in the new systems.

It is highly critical that your development team works in a strongly collaborative environment, where they can manage large-scale projects across multiple fields with ease. This will allow you and your team to consistently access, reshape, and deploy old code in new

Availability Of Resources

For both large and small companies, the distribution of resources is an important step in determining the viability of certain projects. Trying to repurpose and deploy old code can be a challenging task, especially if you are either not getting enough assistance or if no help exists.

It’s up to your management to ensure reuse efforts get the attention and input needed to achieve their goal. Your organization needs to allocate specific resources to the process, including a qualified project manager to oversee operations, skilled developers, realistic time plans and deadlines, a suitable budget, and excellent communication channels like these Workplace competitors.

Five Benefits Of Reusing Code For Software Development

1. Faster Development Periods

With a convenient low-code content solution with functional libraries and drop-down features, your organization can speed up development processes. Leveraging this existing code means steps like verification and documentation are complete and you don’t have to revisit them.

As a developer, you can maximize time and productivity by focusing on remaining tasks and ensuring a fantastic product.

2. Reduced Development Spending
With already-complete elements and faster processes, your business can cut costs by reusing code. You can save substantial amounts of money by recycling large software components like subsets. Furthermore, using existing software narrows the risks and lessens development process errors, which also impacts budget and cost.

3. Lower Development Risks
Using a component that is already known and approved means there’s less risk involved in writing something completely from scratch. Once you’ve found and tested the software, you know that at least one component is functional and risk-free. This applies to the risk of app safety and security errors, as well as the stakes heightened by the organization’s financial investment.

4. Maintain Product Standards
If you’re reusing industry-approved or certified components or code from an existing and functional application, you’re not starting at the bottom. You have the assurance that what you’re re-envisioning has a solid foundation. The code is already tried and tested so you’re guaranteed a certain standard of performance.

In particular, if the code was publicly available before then your users and customers will find it familiar and dependable – qualities that work to your advantage when it’s time to sell the new iteration. You also have the advantage of feedback on the software’s user experience, allowing you to improve on any flaws.

5. Great Product Potential
Your software is just as important for brilliant customer service provision as using a call center quality assurance template. Reliable and tested code increases the potential to create an amazing new product. While there are still other difficulties to address, this places you on good footing to develop a quality end product.

Low-code solutions have amazing potential to release products faster and with less dev resources. By taking care of the complex core code and providing a simplified user interface, you broaden the potential user base by removing any requirement for serious dev experience. Filestack’s Workflows offers so many features identical to our SDKs, yet you do not have to be a seasoned developer to fully utilize them.

Factors To Consider When Deciding Whether To Reuse Code

How Long You Need The Software To Last
It’s important to utilize and develop software that has longevity in a constantly changing technological space. Use an accessible code or component that enables you to adapt, maintain, and alter it even with the involvement of third-party platforms. This is vital to the sustainability of your product’s software, so you can adapt it to changes in third-party software and functionality.

The Skills You Need From Your Software Development Team
Observe what kinds of skills and knowledge your in-house development team members have (if you have a team). And, if you have to source developers, make a list of the skills that are vital to the success of your project.

If your budget enables you to find specialist developers for the project, then that’s awesome, but if you don’t have the funds, model your project around the skills that are available and reuse software your team is familiar with.

How Much Time You Have
All projects have deadlines, and software development deadlines are very time-sensitive. You might want to launch your software while there’s a relevant global tech trend, or you might just want to get your product out there before somebody else develops something similar.

Either way, your entire development team needs to be aware of project deadlines so they can set realistic goals. This will guide them in deciding whether to reuse partial, complete, or small software components. Consider using DevOps and cloud computing to streamline team operations.

Your Application’s Domain
Some domains and industries stipulate specific features or characteristics that must appear in applications. In situations like this, sourcing an existing code from that domain greatly benefits your development process as you can reuse large components like an entire application.

Where You Want The Product To Work
Of course, it matters what platforms you want your final product to work with. What is a digital platform that matches all the features and operations of your application?

Compatibility is essential because having an application that can’t function where you need it to is a complete waste. Thus, you need to research the platforms you want your software to work with and choose reusable code that fits those spaces.

The best low-code applications are exceptionally compatible with nearly any platform you could want to use. For example, Filestack Workflows integrates into your environment extremely quickly, and works with a variety of platforms across every industry, from e-commerce to Ed Tech to social media and more.

Reduce, Reuse, Recode!

All businesses – from medical organizations to creative arts collectives- rely on digital solutions like telemarketing software. There is a need for businesses to move with the tech times and establish sustainable digital models that promote longevity.

Reducing wasteful behaviors and costs is central to sustainability. This is clear in the software industry, where constant development has led to a need for quality over quantity.

Reusing code is a clever way to take advantage of this shift in the software game. Of course, nothing is without flaws, thus, your team needs to remain conscious of the challenges mentioned above.

However, the benefits of reusing code can absolutely transform your development potential. You can cut costs, optimize resources, and avoid waste and risks if you just reduce, reuse, and recode!

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About the author:

Victorio is the Associate SEO Director at RingCentral, a global leader in cloud-based communications and collaboration solutions. He has over 13 years of extensive involvement on web and digital operations with diverse experience as web engineer, product manager, and digital marketing strategist.

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