🚫 Stop Writing Long Methods Like a Beginner: Refactor with This Simple Rule

Ramesh Fadatare

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3 min read

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Apr 15, 2025

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Long methods are one of the most common code smells in Java development. They often start small and grow over time — accumulating logic, edge cases, and responsibilities. Before you know it, a method that started with 10 lines ends up with 100.

Not only does this make the code harder to read, but it also becomes harder to test, debug, and maintain.

In this article, you’ll learn why long methods are problematic, how to spot them, and a simple rule you can follow to refactor them into clean, readable, and maintainable code.

❌ Why Long Methods Are a Problem

Here’s what typically happens with long methods:

• They mix multiple responsibilities (e.g., validation, processing, persistence)
• They are hard to test in isolation
• Developers have to scroll and scan to understand what’s happening
• They violate the Single Responsibility Principle (SRP)

Let’s look at a basic example.

🔍 A Typical Long Method

public void processOrder(Order order) {
    if (order == null) {
        throw new IllegalArgumentException("Order is null");
    }

    if (order.getItems().isEmpty()) {
        throw new IllegalStateException("Order is empty");
    }

    for (Item item : order.getItems()) {
        if (item.getPrice() <= 0)…