Daily Software Tips & Tricks

Deeply nested `if-else` statements are a common recipe for "arrow code" that’s hard to read and even harder to debug. A great way to clean this up is by using guard clauses—checking for edge cases or invalid states at the very beginning of your function and returning early.

By handling the "unhappy paths" first, you keep the main logic of your function at the lowest level of indentation. It makes the primary intent of your code much easier to follow for anyone reading it later, including your future self.

If you're still manually renaming variables one by one across a file, your keyboard is waiting for you to discover the power of multi-cursors. Highlighting a word and hitting `Cmd+D` (or `Ctrl+D` on Windows) will select the next occurrence of that exact string.

It’s an absolute game-changer for refactoring small blocks of code or repetitive HTML tags. Once you have multiple cursors active, anything you type or delete happens in all spots simultaneously. It feels like a superpower once it becomes muscle memory.

Ever find yourself finishing a feature only to realize you’ve also fixed two unrelated bugs and added a few console logs you shouldn't commit? Instead of committing everything in one messy blob, try using `git add -p`. This "patch" mode lets you review every single change (hunk) individually.

You can decide to stage it, skip it, or even split a large hunk into smaller pieces. It’s basically a final code review for yourself before anything touches the repository, ensuring your commit history stays clean and intentional.

Stop writing deeply nested if statements just to check if a property exists. JavaScript’s optional chaining operator allows you to read the value of a property located deep within a chain of connected objects without having to check each reference. If the reference is nullish, the expression short-circuits and returns undefined instead of throwing a runtime error. It makes your code significantly more concise and less prone to the dreaded cannot read property of undefined crashes.

If you aren't using multi-cursors in VS Code yet, you are missing out on a serious productivity boost. By holding Alt (or Option on Mac) and clicking in different spots, or using Ctrl+D to select the next occurrence of a word, you can edit ten lines of code simultaneously. It is perfect for renaming variables manually or formatting long lists of data without needing to write a complex regex.

Ever find yourself finishing a feature but realizing you’ve also fixed three unrelated bugs in the same file? Instead of committing everything in one messy lump, try using git add -p. This patch mode lets you review every single change, or hunk, and decide individually whether it belongs in the current commit. It’s a lifesaver for keeping your pull requests clean and your git history readable for the rest of the team.

Most Python devs know about f-strings for basic formatting, but did you know they have a built-in shortcut for debugging? Instead of writing `print(f"user_id = {user_id}")`, you can simply write `print(f"{user_id=}")`. This automatically prints the variable name followed by its value.

It saves a few keystrokes and makes those quick "sanity check" print statements much faster to write and easier to read in the console output. It even works with expressions, so you can do `print(f"{len(users)=}")` to quickly see the count without any extra boilerplate.

If you've spent an hour coding and realized you've fixed three different bugs in one go, don't just dump them into a single commit. Use `git add -p` (patch mode) to review your changes hunk by hunk. This lets you selectively stage only certain parts of a file, making your commit history much cleaner and easier for your teammates to review.

It’s also a great final sanity check. As you step through each change, you'll often catch a stray debug statement or a temporary hack that you forgot to remove. It turns your staging process into a mini-code review for yourself.

Ever find yourself scrolling through a massive file and forgetting which function or class you're actually inside? VS Code has a feature called "Sticky Scroll" that pins the current scope (like class headers or loop conditions) to the top of the editor. It's a total game-changer for staying oriented in complex logic without constantly scrolling back up to check where you are.

You can toggle it easily by searching for "Sticky Scroll" in your settings. It’s one of those small UI tweaks that significantly reduces cognitive load when you're deep in the weeds of a large codebase.

If you find yourself manually changing ten variables in a row, stop and let VS Code do the heavy lifting. Using Cmd+D (or Ctrl+D) to select the next occurrence of a word is a game changer, but don't sleep on Option+Click (or Alt+Click) to place cursors exactly where you need them.

It turns tedious refactoring into a five-second task. Once you get used to typing on multiple lines simultaneously, you'll wonder how you ever coded without it.

We've all been there: you hit enter on a commit only to realize you left a typo in a comment or forgot to add one tiny file. Instead of creating a "fix typo" commit that clutters your history, use `git commit --amend --no-edit`. This command tucks your staged changes into the previous commit without changing the message.

It keeps your PRs clean and makes you look like a perfectionist who gets it right the first time. Just remember: only do this on local branches that haven't been pushed yet to avoid rewriting history for your teammates!

Python’s list comprehensions are a powerful way to transform data, but there’s a fine line between "elegant" and "unreadable." A good rule of thumb is that if your comprehension requires more than one if-condition or nested loops, it’s probably time to revert to a standard for-loop.

Your future self and your reviewers will thank you for prioritizing clarity over cleverness. Code is read much more often than it is written, so keep those one-liners simple and expressive!

We've all been there: writing long, defensive chains like 'if (user && user.profile && user.profile.settings)' just to avoid a 'cannot read property of undefined' error. In modern JavaScript and TypeScript, you can replace that entire headache with the optional chaining operator ?.. Just write user?.profile?.settings instead. If any part of the chain is null or undefined, the whole expression safely returns undefined instead of crashing your app. It keeps your code much leaner and far easier to scan at a glance.

If you aren't using multi-cursors yet, you're missing out on one of the best productivity boosters in VS Code. Instead of manually editing ten lines of similar code, just highlight the first instance of a word and hit Cmd+D (or Ctrl+D) to select the next occurrence. You can then type, delete, or paste across all those spots simultaneously. For even more power, hold Option (or Alt) and click anywhere to place cursors manually. It makes refactoring repetitive HTML or CSS classes feel like magic.

Ever find yourself finishing a feature only to realize you’ve also fixed two bugs and tweaked some styling in the same file? Instead of dumping everything into one messy commit, try using git add -p. This patch mode lets you review every single change individually. You can decide to stage it, skip it, or even split it further. It’s a game-changer for keeping your pull requests clean and your commit history readable. Your future self and your code reviewers will definitely thank you for the atomic commits!

If you are tired of writing long, defensive logic like 'if (user && user.profile && user.profile.name)' to avoid crashing your app, it is time to embrace optional chaining. By using the '?.' operator, you can simply write 'user?.profile?.name'.

If any part of that chain is null or undefined, the expression gracefully returns undefined instead of throwing a nested property error. This syntax makes your JavaScript or TypeScript code significantly more readable and resilient when dealing with deeply nested data from external APIs.

We have all been there: you are working on a major feature, but you spot a tiny bug or a typo and fix it in the same file. Instead of bundling unrelated changes into one messy commit, use 'git add -p'. This patch mode lets you review your changes chunk by chunk, choosing exactly which lines to stage.

It keeps your commit history clean and makes code reviews much easier for your team because each commit focuses on a single logical change. It is a great way to catch stray console logs or debug code before they ever hit the repository.

Ever find yourself manually editing ten lines of code to add the same prefix? Instead of the repetitive grind, try using Alt + Click (or Cmd + Click on Mac) to place multiple cursors in VS Code. It is a total game-changer for refactoring repetitive HTML or updating a list of object keys simultaneously.

If you want to select all occurrences of a specific word, just highlight it and hit Ctrl + D (or Cmd + D) to select them one by one. It is one of those small habits that makes you feel like a wizard and saves a massive amount of time during quick refactors.

We have all seen the dreaded "Cannot read property of undefined" error in JavaScript. Instead of writing long, defensive chains of logic like `if (user && user.profile && user.profile.name)`, use the optional chaining operator `?.` to simplify your life.

Writing `user?.profile?.name` will safely return undefined if any part of the chain is missing, preventing your app from crashing. It makes your code much more readable and robust with almost zero extra effort.

If you find yourself manually editing ten lines of similar code, stop right there. In VS Code, you can press Alt + Click (or Cmd + Option + Click on Mac) to place multiple cursors anywhere. Even better, highlight a word and hit Ctrl + D to select the next occurrence of that word.

It turns tedious refactoring into a five-second task and makes you feel like a keyboard wizard. Once you get used to it, you will wonder how you ever managed to code without it.

Ever committed your code only to realize you left a console log or a typo in a comment? Instead of creating a whole new "fix typo" commit that clutters your history, just use `git commit --amend --no-edit`. This command tucks your staged changes right into the previous commit without even opening the editor to change the message.

It is a lifesaver for keeping your pull requests clean and professional. Just remember: only use this on local commits that you have not pushed to a shared branch yet, otherwise you might cause some version history headaches for your teammates.

When you're working in Python, you'll often need to transform one list into another. While a standard loop works just fine, list comprehensions can make your code much more concise and idiomatic. Instead of initializing an empty list and appending items, you can do it all in one line: '[item.upper() for item in original_list if item.is_valid()]'.

Just be careful not to overdo it! If your comprehension starts spanning multiple lines or involves complex nested logic, it's usually better to revert to a standard loop. The goal is always clarity; if a teammate has to squint to understand your one-liner, it's probably too clever for its own good.

Ever find yourself finishing a feature only to realize you’ve also fixed three unrelated bugs in the same files? Instead of committing everything in one messy glob, try using 'git add -p'. This patch mode lets you review every single change, or hunk, and decide whether to stage it or skip it. It’s like a final code review for yourself before you even hit the commit button.

It helps keep your commit history clean and meaningful, which your future self and your teammates will definitely thank you for. If a hunk is too big, you can even split it further by hitting 's' during the prompt, giving you granular control over exactly what goes into your next commit.

If you're still manually renaming variables or wrapping lists of strings in quotes one by one, it’s time to embrace the multi-cursor. In VS Code, hitting Cmd+D (or Ctrl+D on Windows) while a word is selected will find and select the next occurrence. It’s a game-changer for repetitive tasks that aren't quite complex enough for a full Regex search-and-replace.

You can also use Option+Click to place cursors anywhere you want. Once you get the hang of it, you'll feel like you're playing a piano on your keyboard, making broad structural changes to your code in seconds without the risk of a global replace gone wrong.

Most Python developers are familiar with f-strings, but there is a hidden shorthand that is a lifesaver for debugging. Instead of writing print(f'user_id: {user_id}'), you can simply write print(f'{user_id=}'). By adding that equal sign inside the curly braces, Python will automatically output both the variable name and its current value.

This is a small but mighty trick that keeps your debug logs organized without the manual effort of labeling every print statement. It’s especially useful when you're quickly checking the state of multiple variables and want to avoid the confusion of seeing a wall of unlabeled numbers in your terminal.

If you aren't using multi-cursors in VS Code yet, you're missing out on a serious productivity booster. By hitting Cmd+D (or Ctrl+D on Windows) while a word is highlighted, you can select the next occurrence of that word and edit them all simultaneously. It’s perfect for renaming local variables or updating a list of similar HTML tags without needing a complex find-and-replace.

For even more precision, you can use Alt+Click to place cursors anywhere you want on the screen. It feels like a superpower when you can refactor ten lines of boilerplate or reformat a messy JSON object in the time it usually takes to edit a single line.

Ever find yourself finishing a long coding session only to realize you’ve touched five different files and solved three separate problems? Instead of dumping everything into one messy commit, try using git add -p. This patch mode lets you review your changes hunk by hunk, deciding exactly what goes into the staging area and what stays behind for the next commit.

It’s a fantastic way to catch stray console logs or temporary comments before they hit the repo. It essentially forces you to double-check your work one last time, making your commit history much cleaner and significantly easier for your teammates to review during a PR.

Dealing with deeply nested objects in JavaScript used to mean writing long, ugly chains of checks like if (user && user.profile && user.profile.email). You can ditch that verbosity by using optional chaining (?.). It short-circuits the evaluation if a reference is nullish, returning undefined instead of throwing an error.

Pair this with the nullish coalescing operator (??) to provide a sensible default value. For example, const email = user?.profile?.email ?? 'N/A'; is clean, readable, and keeps your app from crashing when data doesn't look exactly how you expected.

If you find yourself manually editing ten lines of code that all need the same change, stop right there. In VS Code, you can place multiple cursors by holding Alt (or Option on Mac) and clicking in different spots. Even better, highlight a word and hit Ctrl+D (or Cmd+D) to select the next occurrence of that same word.

This is a total game-changer for renaming local variables or wrapping a list of strings in quotes. It feels like having superpowers once it becomes muscle memory, and it’s significantly faster than running a find-and-replace for small, scoped changes.

We’ve all been there: you hit enter on a commit only to realize you left a typo in the message or forgot to stage a single file. Instead of creating a 'Fix typo' follow-up commit that clutters the history, use git commit --amend. If you just need to update the message, it’ll pop open your editor and let you rewrite it on the fly.

If you forgot a file, stage it first with git add, then run the amend command with the --no-edit flag. This tucks the changes into your last commit silently, keeping your branch history looking clean and professional.

Ever find yourself halfway through a feature only to realize you’ve fixed three unrelated bugs in the same file? Instead of staging the whole mess, try using git add -p. It breaks your changes down into small chunks and asks you piece-by-piece what should be committed. It’s a lifesaver for keeping your commit history clean and readable for your teammates.

If you aren't using multi-cursor editing in VS Code yet, you're missing out on some serious magic. By holding Alt (or Option on Mac) and clicking, or using Ctrl+D to select the next occurrence of a word, you can edit ten lines at once. It’s perfect for those tedious tasks like wrapping a list of strings in quotes or renaming variables that aren't quite caught by the standard refactoring tools.

When setting default values in JavaScript, stop relying solely on the logical OR operator (||). If your variable is 0 or false, the OR operator will overwrite it with your default because those are falsy values. Instead, use the nullish coalescing operator (??). It only kicks in if the value is strictly null or undefined, preventing those annoying bugs where valid data gets wiped out by accident.

We've all been there: checking if (user && user.profile && user.profile.name) to avoid a crash. Modern JavaScript and TypeScript give us the ?. operator, which makes this much cleaner. Using user?.profile?.name will simply return undefined if any part of the chain is nullish, keeping your code readable and your console free of those pesky "cannot read property of undefined" errors.

If you're still manually changing variable names one by one, you're working too hard! In VS Code, try using Cmd+D (Mac) or Ctrl+D (Windows) to select the next occurrence of the word your cursor is on. It’s a game-changer for refactoring small blocks of code or aligning CSS properties without needing a full find-and-replace.

Ever looked at your commit history and seen ten messages like "fix typo" or "temp save"? It's a lifesaver to use git rebase -i HEAD~n before merging a feature branch. This interactive mode lets you "squash" those tiny, messy commits into one clean, descriptive message. It makes code reviews much easier for your team and keeps the main branch history readable for future you.

We've all been bitten by the dreaded runtime error when trying to access a nested property on an object that might be null. Instead of writing long chains of manual checks, use the optional chaining operator (?.). Writing `user?.profile?.name` will simply return undefined if any part of the chain is missing, preventing your app from crashing. It makes your code significantly cleaner and more resilient to unexpected data structures.

If you find yourself manually changing a variable name in five different places within a single file, stop right there. In VS Code, you can hit Cmd+D (or Ctrl+D on Windows) to select the next occurrence of the word your cursor is currently on. Once you've selected them all, you can type once and update every instance simultaneously. It's a massive time-saver for those quick refactors that don't quite need a full global search-and-replace.

Ever looked at your commit history and seen a mess of 'fixed typo' and 'temp' commits? Before you push your branch for review, try running `git rebase -i HEAD~n` (where n is the number of commits). It opens up a menu where you can 'squash' those tiny fixes into your main feature commit or 'reword' messages to be more descriptive. It keeps the project history clean and makes your senior reviewer much happier.

If you find yourself writing lengthy defensive checks like `if (data && data.user && data.user.profile)` just to safely access a deeply nested property, stop! Modern JavaScript introduced Optional Chaining (`?.`) specifically for this scenario. Now you can write `data?.user?.profile?.name`. If any part of that chain is null or undefined, the expression simply evaluates to `undefined` instead of throwing a massive runtime error. It’s cleaner, safer, and makes your data access logic much more readable immediately.

Ever finish a coding session only to realize you made three unrelated changes in one file (a bug fix, a refactor, and a commented-out line)? Don't commit everything together! Use `git add -p` (or `git add --patch`). This command lets you review changes hunk-by-hunk and decide exactly which specific blocks of code belong in your next commit. Atomic commits—commits that do one thing and one thing only—make reviewing and reverting changes infinitely easier for your teammates (and your future self when debugging.)

If you're constantly clicking around or minimizing VS Code to use the mouse, you're slowing down. The Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P or Cmd+Shift+P) is your best friend for efficiency. Instead of navigating complex menus or clicking through extensions, just type what you want—like 'Format Document,' 'Go to Symbol,' or 'Git: Stage All Changes.' Seriously, challenge yourself to use the mouse less today; you'll feel like a keyboard wizard by lunchtime. It shaves off seconds that turn into minutes, and minutes that turn into flow time.

Stop repetitive copy-pasting when renaming variables or adding similar attributes to multiple lines! In VS Code, one of the fastest ways to edit code is using multi-cursor selection. You can hold `Alt` (or `Option` on Mac) and click to place multiple cursors anywhere in your file. Even better, if you want to select the next occurrence of a highlighted word, use `Ctrl+D` (or `Cmd+D`). Keep hitting it until all the instances you need are selected, then type away—it's a massive productivity booster that will instantly make you feel faster.

If you have three independent API calls or database queries, resist the urge to `await` them one after the other. That makes your total execution time the sum of all three. If they don't depend on each other, fire them off simultaneously using `Promise.all()` (in JavaScript, or similar concurrency patterns in other languages).

For example, `const [user, posts] = await Promise.all([fetchUser(), fetchPosts()]);` This dramatically reduces latency, making your application feel much snappier because you only wait for the slowest task to complete, not the cumulative total.

Ever needed to stash your changes but realized Git ignores all those new files you just created? The standard `git stash` won't touch untracked files by default, which can lead to confusion when you switch branches. Next time, use the command `git stash push --include-untracked` (or its shorter form, `-u`). This ensures those brand new configuration files or temporary assets are saved alongside your staged and unstaged work, preventing headaches when you switch branches and come back later to an incomplete workspace.

When debugging JavaScript, don't just spam `console.log(variable)`. If you need to see the name of the variable alongside its value, especially when tracking multiple values through complex functions, try logging it using object shorthand: `console.log({variable})`. Instead of just seeing '42' in the console, you'll see `{variable: 42}`. This small organizational change makes scanning through hundreds of logs infinitely easier and clarifies exactly which value belongs to which variable instantly.

We’ve all been there: you commit your changes, only to realize you forgot to stage one crucial file or you made a typo in the commit message. Before you create a messy 'Fixing typo' commit, use the power of `git commit --amend`. First, stage the forgotten file (`git add <file>`), then run the amend command. This command rewrites the *last* commit, incorporating your new changes or allowing you to edit the message, keeping your repository history clean and tidy before pushing upstream.

If you're manually changing the same variable name or pattern across multiple lines, stop! VS Code has a killer feature that will instantly boost your refactoring speed. Select the first instance you want to change, then hit Ctrl+D (or Cmd+D on Mac) repeatedly. Each press selects the next matching instance. Now, whatever you type changes all selections simultaneously. This trick alone saves me hours every month when dealing with boilerplate code or quick variable renames.

Everyone knows `git stash` is great for temporarily saving changes when you need to switch branches quickly. But did you know you can name your stashes? Instead of just `git stash`, use `git stash push -m "WIP: Feature X refactor"`. This makes `git stash list` actually readable when you come back to it three days later, preventing you from accidentally popping the wrong set of changes. Treat your stashes like temporary branches—give them meaningful labels!

Are you still writing verbose checks like `if (user && user.profile && user.profile.address)` just to safely access deeply nested data? Stop the madness! Modern JavaScript introduced the Optional Chaining operator (`?.`). Now you can safely access properties like this: `user?.profile?.address?.street`. If *any* part of that chain is null or undefined, the expression gracefully short-circuits and returns `undefined`, saving you tons of boilerplate code and potential runtime errors. It drastically cleans up API response handling.