It’s a good practice to use comments in your source code to help other developers understand your code and to make it easier to maintain in the future. However, you should also strive to write clear and concise code that is easy to understand on its own, without relying too much on comments.

What are comments in source code?

Comments in source code are text that is meant to provide context or explanation for the code. They are not executed by the computer when the code is run, but they are important for the maintenance and readability of the code.

Pros

• Making code easier to understand for other developers, especially when working on a team.
• Providing context and explanation for the code, which can reduce the amount of time spent on debugging and troubleshooting.
• Allowing developers to add notes and reminders to themselves, which can be helpful when returning to code after a break or when working on complex projects.

Cons

• Comments can take up space in the code and make it harder to read, especially if they are excessively long or not well-organized.
• Comments can sometimes become outdated or inaccurate if the code is modified or updated but the comments are not.
• Some developers may rely too heavily on comments and use them as a substitute for writing clear and concise code.

How to comment in different languages?

HMTL

<!-- This is a comment in HTML -->

• In HTML, comments are made by using “<!–” to begin the comment and “–>” to end it
• There is no difference between single-line or multi-line comments

CSS

/* This is a single-line comment in CSS */

/* This is a 
multi-line
comment in CSS */

• In CSS, single-line as well as multi-line comments are made by using “/*” to begin the comment and “*/” to end it.

JavaScript & PHP

// This is a single-line comment in JavaScript and PHP

/* This is a multi-line
comment in JavaScript and PHP */

• In JavaScript and PHP, single-line comments are made by using “//”, while multi-line comments are made by using “/*` to begin the comment and “*/” to end it.

Swift

// This is a single-line comment in Swift

/* This is a multi-line
comment in Swift */

• In Swift, single-line comments are made by using “//”, while multi-line comments are made by using “/*” to begin the comment and “*/” to end it. For example:

Quick notes

• Remember that comments are not executed by the computer, and are only meant to provide context and explanation for the code.
• Comments are an important tool for explaining and providing context to code, and can make it easier for other developers to understand code you have written.
• However, comments should be used judiciously, as excessive comments can make code harder to read and cluttered.
• It is important to keep comments up-to-date and accurate, as outdated comments can be misleading and cause confusion for other developers.
• While it is good practice to use comments when necessary, code should also be structured in a way that it is clear and understandable on its own, without relying solely on comments.
• Using comments is important for documentation purposes, as it can help new developers understand the purpose of the code and make modifications more efficiently.