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Refactoring as Preventative Maintenance

publish date: 2026/06/24 21:27:36.425576 UTC

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Why can refactoring be thought of as 'preventative maintenance'?

Because it is performed exclusively by doctors hired as software consultants

Because it reduces the problems of future change by addressing structural issues before they become severe

Because it prevents any future changes from ever being made to the system

Because it is only ever performed once, immediately before a system is permanently retired

Correct Answer

Because it reduces the problems of future change by addressing structural issues before they become severe

Explanation

Refactoring can be thought of as preventative maintenance because it proactively reduces the problems of future change. By improving structure and reducing complexity early and often, it helps avoid the costly structural degradation that would otherwise accumulate over time.

Reference

Software Engineering, Ian Sommerville, 10th edition

Quizzes you can take where this question appears

Refactoring - Preventative Maintenance