Code Craft - Agile or RUP or ...?

[Fintan Conway]

Hi Peter,

Would you say that the practices in your book would make a programmer / programming team more Agile?

How would these practices fit into an RUP development methodology?

Is Code Craft something entirely different from these "S/W development methodologies"?

Thanks,

Fintan

[Pete Goodliffe]

The concept of "Code Craft" is just a neat and catchy way to summarise the idea of crafting code in a careful, thoughtful, pragmatic way. To code with the correct *attitude*.

As for what "methodology" it is, it isn't a methodology. The stuff in this book is as suited to a RUP-programmer as it is to an agile programmer.

Having said that, I personally lean towards agile development. I'm currently doing XP and can't adequately describe the benefits that the process brings.

[Scott Ambler]

RUP can be instantiated in an agile manner if you choose to. You can even download several agile versions of the UP, including OpenUP and Agile UP.

- Scott

[Frank Martinig]

Is the software development world divided between "agile" (good) and "non-agile" (bad)? Is an agile version (instantiation) of (R)UP better than the non-agile? The software development world (and contexts) is more complex than a simple "labelling" of processes ;o) Carefully crafting code is already a good step to software project success...

[Ilja Preuss]

Originally posted by Frank Martinig:
Is the software development world divided between "agile" (good) and "non-agile" (bad)?

I wouldn't say "divided" - it's more like a continuum. There certainly are "more Agile" and "less Agile" approaches to software development, although that's certainly not the only interesting property.

Is "more Agile" better? I very much prefer to work in an Agile way (that is, in a way that respects the Agile values and principles) - both because I like it better, personally, and because I think that it leads to better results. You will have to decide for yourself, though.

Is an agile version (instantiation) of (R)UP better than the non-agile?

If I'd had to bet, I'd always bet on the "more Agile" team, everything else being the same.

The software development world (and contexts) is more complex than a simple "labelling" of processes ;o)

Being Agile certainly won't guarantee success. And being Agile is definitely more complex than just "labelling" the process you are using.

I can't imagine a context in which the Agile values and principles wouldn't be a good idea, though.

Carefully crafting code is already a good step to software project success...

Sure - that's probably why carefully crafting code (with a lot of feedback) is an important part of Agile development.

It won't help you when you carefully craft code the customer doesn't need, of course. That's why there also is a lot of planning, communication etc. involved.