Refactoring vs Rebuilding: Which Path to Better Code?

I admit, when it comes to choosing between implementing new features from scratch or refactoring existing code, I prefer the former option, but it’s not always the right choice.

So how to choose?

I think there is no ‘perfect recipe’, but over time I have learned to consider 4 key points:

• State of existing code: If the code is in poor condition and hard to maintain, a rebuild might be preferable.
• Available time and resources: Refactoring is better suited for limited resources or tight deadlines.
• Technical debt: Assess how much “weight” the inherited code is adding to your development process.
• Future flexibility: If the current foundation doesn’t allow for rapid evolution, rebuilding could be more strategic.

New 3Bee blog

Not long ago, I took part in an activity that had all the makings of a ‘new project’: creating the new 3Bee blog.

Among the various requests, the bulk of the work can be summarized in 3 points:

• New design system
• Better content management
• Improved SEO

Initially, I was already thinking about how to structure the new project, which technologies to use, how to organize the code… but after analyzing the current codebase, I had to change my mind: the code already had a solid and rather clean structure, which would make refactoring faster and less risky compared to a complete rebuild.

Challenges and Results

Fortunately, the backend part (Trpc) was already quite good, which allowed me to start with the frontend modifications right away. So, after a short period of coordination with the design team, I implemented the new design system rather quickly. This provided a new look: more modern, fresh, and clean! (You tell me) 😉

I am not an expert in performance, but I’ve learned a lot: through some adjustments (especially by making the content as static as possible and caching various elements) and the implementation of general best practices for Core Web Vitals, I managed to increase the Lighthouse score by 30% and reduce the site’s loading time.

Additionally, from a developer experience perspective, with the new features of Next.js (ISR), I significantly improved the deployment speed, reducing the build time from almost 40 minutes to less than 15! 🚀