Code structure and linting

When it comes to removing errors within an application, the earlier you can do this, the better. One of the most useful tools to assist a developer in doing this is to use a linter to help you review your code, making suggestions about common bad practices or issues. For Apex developers, the open source Apex PMD library is my go-to tool for this use, and it has a community-created plugin for Visual Studio Code available, allowing it to integrate nicely with the SFDX plugins for Visual Studio Code.

The use of a linter such as Apex PMD will allow you to catch common errors and enforce best practices in your code, and it is particularly useful in a team setting to provide a baseline of agreed standards. Many deployment tools also include it as a step prior to deployment between environments, helping to verify the quality of the code being deployed before deploying it.

I have found a linting tool to be a helpful way of nudging myself and others in a development...