SQL Server Team-based Development - Red Gate Software

Chapter 7: Maintaining a Code Library
Coding for Reuse
In this chapter, I'll present several techniques for promoting and managing the use
of reusable code snippets and templates, using tools such as SSMS and SQL Prompt.
However, before we examine these techniques, it needs to be emphasized that it's not
enough to simply have snippets of code; you need to write these snippets so that they
can easily be incorporated into your existing code, in such a way that anyone within the
organization can, within reason, incorporate the code into almost any query. In order to
make sure a script can be reused, and is reused appropriately, we need to understand what
exactly that script does and how it's supposed to be used. This means that it needs to be
well written and documented, and we need to be confident in the script, so it also needs
to be well tested.
If the code is incomplete and undocumented, you're assuming that everyone who uses it
has a complete enough understanding of the appropriate use of the code for them to be
able to apply it. Many, maybe even most, of your users will have the requisite knowledge,
but far too many are unlikely to understand what they're supposed to do with your code.
Keep this class of user in mind as you write and document the snippets that you're going
to share. If you just think through how each snippet is likely to be used, you can decide if
that snippet has been written in such a way that it can be reused.
Code comments
You need to have a defined process for marking any script that you intend for reuse. This
will help you identify the script, and it will help you retrieve it, either from systems where
it has been applied, or from the storage system you're using to keep it. It must be clear
what your script is doing, when it was updated, what version it is, where it's used, how it's
used, and so on.
200