clean-code-javascript
A guide of clean code principles for writing readable JavaScript, with bad and good examples.
- Stars
- 94.7k
- Forks
- 12.6k
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- JavaScript
- Last update
- 2.3 years ago
- Type
- Learning resource
No commits in over a year — check for forks or alternatives before adopting.
What it is
This is a written guide, adapted from Robert C. Martin's book Clean Code, that explains how to write software in JavaScript that is easier to read, reuse, and change. It is organized by topic such as variables, functions, classes, SOLID, testing, and error handling. Each topic shows a short 'Bad' example and a 'Good' example so readers can compare them. The README says it is a set of guidelines rather than a strict style guide.
- Reviewing a pull request against named principles such as one function doing one thing
- Refactoring a function with many positional arguments into one destructured options object
- Renaming unclear variables, such as replacing a cryptic name with a descriptive one
- Using the examples as a discussion starting point for a team code review
Great for
- Developers who want to improve the readability of their JavaScript code
- Teams looking for shared review guidelines for code quality
- Students learning software design principles in JavaScript
- Developers who already know the basics and want concrete refactoring examples
Not ideal for
- People looking for a linter or automatic formatter, since this is a set of written guidelines (the README points to tools like ESLint only in passing)
- Readers who want strict, universally agreed rules; the README itself says the principles are not all universally agreed upon
- Beginners who have not yet written much JavaScript, since many examples assume familiarity with the language
How to get it
- 1
Read it online
Clone the repository to read it locally
git clone https://github.com/ryanmcdermott/clean-code-javascript - 2
Run it
- Open the README on GitHub and read the Table of Contents.
- Pick one section, such as Variables or Functions, and read its Bad and Good examples.
- Apply one principle to a small piece of your own code and compare the result.
- Use the back-to-top links to jump between sections as you work through the guide.
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Read the Bad example first and try to name the problem before reading the Good example.
- Apply one principle at a time to existing code rather than trying to change everything at once.
- Use the guide as a shared vocabulary in code reviews so feedback refers to specific principles.
- Pair it with a linter such as ESLint, which the README mentions in the searchable names section.
Downloads
Strengths
- Concrete Bad and Good code examples for each principle make the advice easy to apply
- Openly states that the guidelines are not strict rules, which keeps the advice practical
- Widely referenced, with a long-standing topic list covering variables through comments
Trade-offs
- It is a reading guide, not software, so there is nothing to install or run
- The README is truncated in this analysis, so later sections such as classes, SOLID, and testing were not reviewed here
- Some examples reference libraries like moment, so readers may need to adapt them to their own stack
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| clean-code-javascript (this) | 94.7k | Learning resource | beginner | 2.3 years ago | Developers who want to improve the readability of their JavaScript code |
| domain-driven-hexagon | 15k | Learning resource | intermediate | 2.4 years ago | Developers who want to understand Domain-Driven Design and hexagonal architecture through examples |
| modular-monolith-with-ddd | 14.1k | Learning resource | advanced | 2.4 years ago | Developers learning Domain-Driven Design tactical patterns in C# |
| eShopOnWeb | 10.7k | App | intermediate | 1.8 years ago | Developers learning ASP.NET Core MVC and clean architecture |
| project-guidelines | 29.4k | Learning resource | beginner | 1.9 years ago | Teams that want a shared written standard for Git branching and pull requests |
| claude-code-best-practice | 68.5k | Learning resource | beginner | 4 days ago | Developers who are new to Claude Code and want an organized overview of its features |
Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.