Code Quality

Comparing Level 1 and Level 2

Level 1

Level 2

Description

At Level 1, you're writing code that works—and that’s a great start. Your focus is on making things function, often leaning on examples or patterns you’ve seen before. You may not yet know what "good" code looks like, but you’re starting to build that awareness. At this level, it’s normal to prioritize getting something working over making it clean. The key is developing habits that help you improve consistency, readability, and structure with each pull request.

Description

At Level 2, you write code that’s not just functional, but clean. You begin to think about how others will read, use, and extend your work. Code reviews become conversations about clarity, not just correctness. You start to balance pragmatism and polish—knowing when to ship and when to refactor.

Key Behaviors

  • •
    Writes functional code that accomplishes its purpose
  • •
    Follows team conventions when reminded or reviewed
  • •
    May rely heavily on copy-paste from similar examples
  • •
    Uses meaningful variable names inconsistently
  • •
    Starts to understand formatting and basic readability

Key Behaviors

  • •
    Follows naming, formatting, and structuring conventions consistently
  • •
    Breaks down logic into small, focused functions
  • •
    Extracts reusable pieces rather than duplicating code
  • •
    Leaves things better than they were when possible
  • •
    Adds helpful comments without stating the obvious

Common Struggles

  • Code may be hard to read, duplicate, or extend
  • Lacks consistent formatting or structure
  • Misses opportunities for reuse or clarity
  • May not recognize performance or security implications
  • Can be unsure what "clean code" means in context

Common Struggles

  • Can over-engineer for theoretical reuse
  • Might struggle with consistency in larger files or systems
  • May still need reminders to clean up after spikes or experiments
  • Sometimes confuses cleverness with clarity

Success Indicators

  • Write code that works and passes basic review
  • Make use of existing examples or conventions
  • Show curiosity about how to improve your style and structure
  • Respond to feedback and improve code accordingly

Success Indicators

  • Write code that others can follow without help
  • Use consistent, clear patterns that match team practices
  • Are thoughtful about structure, naming, and readability
  • Submit PRs that need less cleanup or review intervention

Mindset Shift

From:

Does it work?

To:

Will someone else understand and maintain this?

Mindset Shift

From:

Is this clean enough?

To:

How do I make this easier for others to understand and evolve?

Questions to Ask Yourself

  • Would this make sense to someone seeing it for the first time?
  • Is there a simpler, cleaner way to write this?
  • Am I following team standards or just doing what worked before?

Questions to Ask Yourself

  • Would I be proud to maintain this in six months?
  • Are there better patterns I could apply here?
  • Is this code safe, efficient, and understandable?

Build These Habits

  • 1
    Use the linter and formatter consistently
  • 2
    Read PRs from others to see different approaches
  • 3
    Rename things when they're unclear
  • 4
    Ask questions when a review suggests a new pattern

Build These Habits

  • 1
    Review your own code before submitting
  • 2
    Document assumptions and edge cases
  • 3
    Use comments for intent, not explanation
  • 4
    Apply refactors after merging if needed

Seek Feedback

  • Is there a cleaner or more idiomatic way to write this?
  • What would make this easier to read or change later?
  • Are there team patterns I should be following here?

Seek Feedback

  • Does this align with our standards?
  • Would you know what this does without the context I have?
  • Is there a simpler or more consistent way to do this?

Signals You're Ready to Level Up

  • Fewer formatting or naming issues in code reviews
  • More awareness of maintainability in your pull requests
  • Curiosity about structure, reuse, and idioms

Signals You're Ready to Level Up

  • Your code is often used as an example for others
  • Reviewers comment on clarity more than correctness
  • You spot quality issues earlier in your own work

Focus Summary

  • Make it work
  • Make it better
  • Keep learning what "better" looks like

At Level 1, writing working code is the priority—and that’s a solid foundation. As you build confidence, you start to notice how code quality makes everything smoother.

Focus Summary

  • Write for the reader
  • Refactor with care
  • Quality is your new default

At Level 2, quality becomes part of how you think—not just something added later. You make things that others can trust and build on.