CppCon 2021

Modern best practices always recommend writing new code for testability and maintenance. However, most of us spend more time reading other people’s code and trying to find a place to put our change without breaking existing functionality. Rarely, if ever, does that code have tests; nor does the project timeline allow for large scale refactoring to make it testable. In this talk, we will discuss how to take the fear out of working on legacy code and start working toward not only adding a safety net so we can change with confidence, but also make it easier to understand what the code is actually doing. We’ll look at some techniques that can be implemented without requiring massive hits to your deadlines, and even address issues such as dealing with timing dependencies. Over time, both you and your team will be rewarded by increased reliability and productivity and no longer dread the word "legacy."