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Refactoring and Agile Methods

publish date: 2026/06/24 21:27:36.990766 UTC

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Why is refactoring described as an inherent part of agile methods?

Agile methods are based on continuous change, so program quality can degrade quickly without frequent refactoring to counteract this

Agile teams refactor code only after the software has been officially retired

Refactoring was invented specifically to replace all forms of testing in agile teams

Agile methods legally require refactoring to be performed exactly once per year

Correct Answer

Agile methods are based on continuous change, so program quality can degrade quickly without frequent refactoring to counteract this

Explanation

Agile methods are based on continuous change, which means program quality is liable to degrade quickly if left unchecked. Agile developers frequently refactor their programs specifically to counteract this degradation and maintain code quality throughout iterative development.

Reference

Software Engineering, Ian Sommerville, 10th edition

Quizzes you can take where this question appears

Refactoring - Preventative Maintenance