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Josh Morden
Full Stack JavaScript Techdegree Student 382 PointsAn Awesomely Confusing Video
I found this video incredibly frustrating, and by looking at the comments section, it would appear that I'm not alone. I'll save the diatribe and just focus on what, for me, is at the core of this frustration.
This video introduces some new and, for the uninitiated, relatively complex concepts. The function within the function caught me off-guard, but was fairly simple after re-watching. What really got the emotions stirring was about halfway through the video when Guil starts to incorporate the "AppendToLi" function.
Why was the code refactored twice? Would it not have been more efficient and far less confusing to have created the two functions from the get-go? There was very little explanation or acknowledgment of the reasons behind Guil's process, aside from the obvious intention to refactor the code. I feel like a little explanation would have gone a long way and curbed much of the confusion.
3 Answers
Doron Geyer
Full Stack JavaScript Techdegree Student 13,897 PointsA late response to the question but perhaps someone else with a similar problem reads this.
I think in the case of the video the intention is for you to get used to refactoring being a step by step process it also breaks down his thought process step by step.
1) Group together the items which can be refactored in the initial function createElement
- remove repeated code and replace with function
- test
2) Create a function to remove duplicate appendChild calls specifically to LI
- remove repeated code and replace with function
-test
3) make remaining code more concise where possible
-test
Refactoring is no different you wouldn't be able to look at the code and immediately find all refactoring possibilities.
For this video focusing on understanding each change he makes as an individual piece will help you not feel overwhelmed by the overall effects and concepts. If you break it down into its step by step parts you will find it easier to cope with.
Nassima ANANI
Front End Web Development Techdegree Graduate 16,780 PointsCompletely AGREE with that!!
Nat Feibish
Full Stack JavaScript Techdegree Student 4,830 PointsYeah he was going a bit fast with advanced concepts. Refactoring isn't the problem. The broad-brushstroke logic wasn't the problem. The rapid deployment of fine details in new ways was incredibly hard to follow.