This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by ElectronDome
“Clean Code Starts with a Clean Room”
Hey Web Developers,
Do you keep your room clean and organized on your own?
If yes — great job! The discipline you maintain in your daily life often reflects in your professional work, especially in how you write and manage your code.
If not, maybe it’s time to start. Just like decluttering your room makes your mind feel fresh, decluttering your code can make your projects cleaner, faster, and easier to maintain.
In this post, we’ll see how frontend, backend, and database clutter happens — and the smartest ways to clean it up so your projects stay fast, maintainable, and easy to work with.
For a better understanding, we will go with a problem-solution based flow.
Let’s start with the FrontEnd part,
Messy UI means Messy Mind
When your frontend gets cluttered, it’s like having a desk piled high with papers, cables, and random gadgets — even simple changes take forever because you can’t see the surface anymore.
Problem 1: CSS Bloat
- Stylesheets full of unused classes from old designs.
- Conflicting styles for the same element across files.
- New styles created instead of reusing existing ones.
Solution:
- Run a CSS Cleanup Tool – PurgeCSS or UnCSS can automatically strip unused styles.
- Use Design Tokens – Centralize colors, spacing, and typography for consistency.
- Adopt a Naming Convention – e.g., BEM keeps styles predictable and reusable.
In short, CSS is like your wardrobe — donate what you don’t wear, and organize the rest by category.
Problem 2: Repeated Components
- Same button, card, or modal coded multiple times.
- Slight variations leading to duplicated effort.
Solution:
- Extract Reusable Components – If HTML/CSS repeats 2–3 times, make it a single component.
- Use Props for Variations – One instead of two separate buttons.
- Keep Components Small – Break down complex ones into smaller, testable parts.
In short, One versatile tool is better than carrying 10 similar ones.
Problem 3: State Management Chaos
- Global state used unnecessarily.
- Related state split across multiple hooks and files.
Solution:
- Keep State Local When Possible – Only use global stores like Redux or Zustand for shared state.
- Group Related State – Combine related values into one state object.
- Prevent Over-Renders – Memoize heavy components with React.memo or Preact’s memo().
In short, State is like a to-do list — keep the main one in one place, don’t scatter sticky notes everywhere.
Problem 4: Heavy Assets & Slow Loads
- Large images or scripts loaded upfront unnecessarily.
Solution:
- Lazy Load – Use loading=”lazy” for images and dynamic imports for components.
- Compress Assets – Tools like ImageOptim, TinyPNG, and SVGO can help.
- Use a CDN – Distribute assets for faster load times.
In short, Don’t carry your entire library when you only need one book.
Backend Clutter:The Danger of Feature Hoarding
A cluttered backend is like a workshop full of rusty tools — you don’t know which ones still work, and you waste time searching for the right one.
Problem 1: “God” Functions
- Single functions handling multiple responsibilities.
- Difficult to test and debug because everything is tangled.
Solution:
- Follow Single Responsibility Principle – Each function does one job.
- Refactor Large Functions – Split them into smaller, reusable helpers.
- Write Unit Tests – Tests encourage simpler, more modular code.
In short, One sharp knife for each job is better than one dull knife for everything.
Problem 2: Unused Endpoints
- Old APIs left in the codebase “just in case.”
- Extra endpoints increasing attack surface.
Solution:
Deprecate Before Removing – Mark unused APIs and remove after a grace period.
API Documentation – Keep Swagger/OpenAPI docs updated to track usage.
Version Your APIs – Helps phase out older ones cleanly.
In short, Unused endpoints are like expired food — throw them out before they cause trouble.
Problem 3: Over-Engineered Logic
- Excessive layers of abstraction for simple tasks.
- Business logic scattered across multiple files unnecessarily.
Solution:
- Keep Logic Flat Where Possible – Avoid too many indirections.
- Centralize Business Logic – Store related logic in one well-named service/module.
- Review for Simplification – During code review, ask “Can this be simpler?”
In short, Too many layers = too many hoops to jump through.
Database: Clutter in Tables = Slower Queries
A messy database is like a storage room with piles of random boxes — it might have what you need, but good luck finding it.
Problem 1: Unused Tables or Columns
- Legacy tables from old features.
- Columns no longer used by the application.
Solution:
- Schema Audits – Regularly check for unused tables/columns.
- Remove or Archive – If not used, drop them or store them separately.
- Track Changes – Use migrations for controlled schema updates.
In short, Extra tables are like junk drawers — they seem harmless but hide the mess.
Problem 2: Poor Indexing
- No indexes on frequently queried columns.
- Too many indexes slowing down writes.
Solution:
- Add Indexes Where Needed – Especially on WHERE and JOIN columns.
- Monitor Query Performance – Use EXPLAIN in SQL to analyze execution.
- Avoid Over-Indexing – Too many indexes can hurt write-heavy operations.
In short, Good indexing is like labelling storage boxes — you find things faster.
Problem 3: Duplicate & Stale Data
- Old, irrelevant rows bloating the database.
- Duplicate records causing inconsistent results.
Solution:
- Set Data Retention Policies – Archive old data based on business needs.
- Deduplicate Regularly – Use unique constraints or cleanup scripts.
- Normalize Where Needed – Avoid repeating the same data across multiple tables.
In short, Stale data is like keeping old bills from 10 years ago — unnecessary and space-consuming.
Ok so not going much into more details,
Let’s conclude
Decluttering code isn’t a one-off project — it’s a maintenance habit.
When your frontend is lean, your backend is tidy, and your database is clean, you ship features faster, fix bugs quicker, and enjoy coding a whole lot more.
Because in both life and code, the less clutter you keep, the more room you have to build something amazing.
Till then Happy Coding.
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by ElectronDome