The Value Of Writing Pseudocode

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Programming can be very overwhelming, even for experienced individuals. You know in your mind what you’re trying to do, but you need to be able to express that in a way the computer understands. In order to implement a new feature, you often need to work in multiple parts of the code, potentially over multiple files or even using different coding languages. It would be helpful if there was a way to organize your thoughts before getting embroiled in the syntax of coding.

There is a way, actually, and it’s called pseudocode. Pseudocode is a plotting out of the steps in an algorithm or system with more plain, human-readable language that is done before implementation in code. In other words, it’s something of a “rough draft” of the code that a coder or team of coders can use to evaluate their logic before they potentially spend a lot of time putting it into formal code.

What are the advantages of using pseudocode?

1. Easier to read. By using plain language, pseudocode is much easier to read and understand. If written well, there will be no need to work out what the pseudocode is meant to accomplish. Even better, the pseudocode is programming language agnostic and even non-coders should be able to understand it to some degree.
2. Simplifies the coding process. When the time comes to actually generate the formal code, having pseudocode will make the work so much easier and faster to accomplish. Instead of having to think through the algorithm while coding, it instead becomes a simpler matter of translating pseudocode to code.
3. Bug fixing becomes faster and easier. If bugs are identified in the pseudocode before coding begins, it is so much easier and faster to correct these bugs at this time than it would be to correct them once formal code has been created.
4. A good start for documentation. When creating documentation for your software (and you are going to make good documentation for your work, right?), the pseudocode is just as great a resource for documenting as it is for coding. Much like how pseudocode helps you step through your software’s logic during implementation, you can use that same model during documentation. In fact, at more complex points in your software you may want to just put the existing pseudocode directly into your documentation.

Some pseudocode writing tips

Different teams or individuals will have different conventions for their pseudocode, so I don’t want to get too deep into the weeds on how you should write your pseudocode. That being said, I do have some tips that I think are best practices in writing pseudocode and should help you save time and be better able to share your pseudocode with any potential collaborators.

1. Be clear and concise. This might seem obvious, but this is probably the most important point. Remember that pseudocode is for a human reader, and the human mind can fill in a lot of blanks that a computer cannot. For instance, you almost certainly will not need to specify variable data types.
2. Make use of indentation to keep things clear. I’m not sure if this is common knowledge or not, but many programming languages do not require indentation to run correctly. We use the indentation to make the code clear for ourselves and other human readers. With that in mind, note that pseudocode is only for human readers. If you think a line in your pseudocode would be more clear if indented, do it.
3. Use coding keywords where appropriate. Pseudocode is not the place to reinvent the wheel or bust out the thesaurus. If you want to express that, for example, a switch statement should be used then don’t write something like “Determine next step based on variable X”.