I Refactored 6,000 Lines of React Code. Then Everything Broke Again. There are two kinds of bugs in software. The obvious ones you catch right away, and the sneaky ones that hide out until you …

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Code Like A Girl

A developer shares their experience migrating over 6,000 lines of React code to TypeScript, only to encounter the same bugs they had previously fixed. The piece explores the emotional challenges of large-scale refactoring work, including the isolation of working solo, the frustration of recurring issues, and the invisible effort that goes unrecognized. Despite setbacks with chart logic and D3 implementations, the experience ultimately built resilience, patience, and stronger debugging skills through persistent problem-solving.

I Refactored 6,000 Lines of React Code. Then Everything Broke Again.

The Emotional Tax of “It Broke Again”

If You’re Stuck in a Long, Soul-Crushing Refactor Too…

Refactoring is much needed and always the most ungrateful type of work because no one sees anything different. Worst is when QA points to an old bug that was there and is no longer there and wants it back because in their mind it is expected behavior. Even if you win that battle, they will still mark it as a fail on your part.
As much fun it is to do refactoring, it is such an ungrateful type of work.

Why need to refactor it to ts? just left them in js, new component will write with ts

Haven’t read this yet but refactors are doomed to fail without significant preexisting test coverage.

I rather start from scratch in some cases