This document discusses brutal coding constraints that can be used during coding dojos or retreats to improve coding skills. It proposes constraints like removing conditionals, loops, and mutable data to solve problems like implementing tic-tac-toe. Participants are asked to implement a two-player and AI version of tic-tac-toe under these constraints. The goal is to learn through challenges and collaboratively reflect on the experience.

1. A Mozaic Works signature event
Brutal Coding
Constraints
Peter Kofler, ‘Code Cop’
@codecopkofler
(Martin Klose @martinklose)
Copyright Peter Kofler, licensed under CC-BY.

2. Peter Kofler
• Ph.D. (Appl. Math.)
• Professional Software
Developer for 15+ years
• “fanatic about code quality”
• Freelance Code Mentor
PETER KOFLER, CODE-COP.ORG FANATIC ABOUT CODE QUALITY

3. I help development teams with
PETER KOFLER, CODE-COP.ORG FANATIC ABOUT CODE QUALITY
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Professionalism
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Quality and
Productivity
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Continuous
Improvement

4. Mentoring
PETER KOFLER, CODE-COP.ORG FANATIC ABOUT CODE QUALITY
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Pair Programming
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Programming
Workshops
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Deliberate
Practice, e.g.
Coding Dojos

5. Developing Quality
Software Developers

6. Brutal Constraints?
Expectations?

7. Coding Dojo Mindset
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Safe place outside
work
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We are here to learn
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Need to slow down
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Focus on doing it right
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Collaborative Game
PETER KOFLER, CODE-COP.ORG FANATIC ABOUT CODE QUALITY

8. Nathaniel Pryce, http://www.doc.ic.ac.uk/~np2/teaching/
Red Green Refactor

9. Tic-Tac-Toe
PETER KOFLER, CODE-COP.ORG FANATIC ABOUT CODE QUALITY

10. Assignment
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tic-tac-toe
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Board 3x3
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X plays first, O plays second
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Implement
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2 Player Game
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Determine Winner
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AI Bot Player
PETER KOFLER, CODE-COP.ORG FANATIC ABOUT CODE QUALITY

11. Constraints
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Challenges during a dojo or coderetreat
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Moving to the extreme is a way of learning
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Examples
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Missing Tool (No Mouse, …)
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Missing Feature (No IFs, …)
PETER KOFLER, CODE-COP.ORG FANATIC ABOUT CODE QUALITY

12. “Brutal” Coding Constraint
PETER KOFLER, CODE-COP.ORG FANATIC ABOUT CODE QUALITY

13. Brutal Coding Constraints
1. No Conditionals (also no ?: )
2. No Loops
3. TDD as if You Meant It (optional)
4. No Naked Primitives (no Set/Map/List)
5. All functions return something
6. All data is immutable
PETER KOFLER, CODE-COP.ORG FANATIC ABOUT CODE QUALITY

14. Try it!

15. Short Retrospective
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How did it work out?
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How do you feel?
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What did you
learn and want
to share with
the group?
PETER KOFLER, CODE-COP.ORG FANATIC ABOUT CODE QUALITY

16. Peter Kofler
@codecopkofler
www.code-cop.org
and
Martin Klose
@martinklose
www.klosebrothers.de
PETER KOFLER, CODE-COP.ORG FANATIC ABOUT CODE QUALITY

17. CC Images
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Bruce http://www.flickr.com/photos/sherpas428/4350620602/
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pairing http://www.flickr.com/photos/dav/94735395/
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dojo http://www.flickr.com/photos/49715404@N00/3267627038/
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game http://www.flickr.com/photos/benclinch/476855843/
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Playmobil http://www.flickr.com/photos/williac/99551756/
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wants you http://www.flickr.com/photos/shutter/105497713/
PETER KOFLER, CODE-COP.ORG FANATIC ABOUT CODE QUALITY