CLEAN CODE: GRADE ORANGE

The transition zone

If the Red zone is where code feels “dangerous” then the Orange zone is where you can finally breathe a little

Even though there is still plenty to improve.

In this state, the code isn’t perfect, but it also doesn’t crush your soul.

This is the transition zone.

The place where cleanup becomes possible without the fear that a tiny change will blow up the whole system.

Laying the foundation for clarity

You would be surprised how much clarity you gain just by renaming things:

flag → isArchived
temp → initialValue
data → userResponse

It seems simple, almost trivial, but an intentional name removes so much mental guessing.

It saves seconds when reading code, and hours for the whole team over a sprint.

You encounter a 40-line function handling multiples different responsibilities.

Instead of rewriting everything, you simply split it out:

validateInput()
calculateDiscount()
saveToDatabase()

We are not changing the logic.

We are just breaking the story into clearer, digestible pieces so the next person doesn’t need to decode everything at once.

Flattening logic whenever possible

The Orange zone is where you start using guard clauses to eliminate deep nesting:

Instead of 4-5 stacked if blocks, you rewrite them as:

if (!user) return
if (!user.isActive) return
if (user.isBlocked) return

Cleaner, flatter, easier to follow.

This reduces cognitive load and prevents the dreaded “nested-if tunnel”.

When numbers need real names

if (status === 3)

Replace that mysterious 3 with something meaningful:

STATUS_ARCHIVED

Or change the number 60 to:

SESSION_TIMEOUT

The Orange zone is where you replace hidden meaning with names that everyone understands, even newcomers.

The Orange zone isn’t where we stop, it’s where momentum begins.

It’s the stage where small habits compound:

These small, consistent improvements gradually push the entire codebase toward the Green zone.

A state of stability, clarity, and long-term maintainability.