Step 4 of 6
Code smells and technical debt
A code smell is a hint something's off: giant files, copy-pasted blocks, functions with 8 parameters, vague names like data2, deep nesting. Technical debt is the shortcut you take now and pay interest on later.
Why it matters when you build with AI: AI-generated code accumulates duplication fast, because each prompt solves the problem from scratch. Refactoring keeps the debt manageable.
Quick check
Which is a code smell?
Too many params and vague names hint the code needs refactoring.