When Does Code Refactoring Make Sense for Spring Applications?
Every line of outdated code is silently draining your IT budget.
According to McKinsey, technical debt—the cost of prioritizing speed over quality—weighs down 40% of IT balance sheets. In fact, cleaning up unsustainable codebases can free up 50% of engineers’ time, shifting focus to value-generating tasks.
Refactoring creates space for progress. By regularly restructuring code, IT teams can continuously improve readability, performance, and maintainability without changing software functionality. This process future-proofs applications against disruptions and technological shifts, including the evolution of the Spring Framework.
But how can leaders balance technical improvements against pressing business priorities? This article will explore when code refactoring makes strategic sense, with specific use cases for Spring applications.
The Basics of When to Refactor Code
Technical debt accumulates interest with each passing sprint—slowing development velocity, multiplying maintenance costs, and gradually eroding your ability to respond to market opportunities. Due to this, it’s a common rule of thumb to refactor:
- Before Adding New Features: Starting with a clean codebase simplifies and streamlines the process of making updates or additions. This also assures all your code is up to date at the end of the development cycle, preventing a messy mishmash.
- When Fixing Bugs: Refactoring code when issues arise ensures more holistic solutions. Rather than implementing patchwork fixes, IT teams can squash bugs altogether by addressing underlying structural problems.
- Before Deployment: It’s important to ensure all your code is smoothly functioning before your application goes live. Refactor during your final code review for best results.
Essentially, code refactoring should be part of a continuous cycle—but that doesn’t mean it has to take up all your time. For instance, a single case of code duplication isn’t a reason to restructure. The “Rule of Three,” popularized by Strangler pattern coiner Martin Fowler, states that waiting for a third duplication ensures code refactoring costs remain lower than the potential maintenance burden.
When Does Code Refactoring Make Sense for Spring Applications?
Spring Framework has a well-deserved reputation for backward compatibility, but major version upgrades can still demand significant code changes.
For example, let’s say you want to future-proof your applications after the end of open-source support for Spring Framework 5.3 and 6.0. Upgrading to Spring 6.0.x is key, but preparing legacy applications can be a complex shift. Refactoring is essential to ensure compatibility with Java 17—a baseline requirement for Spring Framework 6.0.x—and aligning the codebase with Jakarta and Spring API updates.
Even if you’re not preparing for a Spring upgrade, refactoring can be beneficial if:
- Performance issues can’t be resolved through configuration.
- Security vulnerabilities demand structural changes—especially if you’re still operating on Spring versions that are no longer patched by Broadcom.
- You’re integrating and optimizing for new capabilities like generative AI solutions.
The Challenge of Code Refactoring
Refactoring code admittedly isn’t a simple task. As VMware notes:
Significant expertise is required to carefully manage:
- Resource Intensity: Refactoring requires dedicated developer time, especially for complex, mission-critical legacy applications. This can mean temporarily diverting resources from feature development.
- Performance Risks: Without proper assessment strategies, including automated unit tests and integration tests, refactoring can introduce new issues or regressions.
- Business Disruption: Proper planning is crucial to avoiding deployment freezes or release delays during extensive refactoring projects.
Outsourcing to an IT solutions partner with a proven track record of managing Spring upgrades and large-scale code refactoring initiatives can mitigate these risks. By clearing technical debt while maintaining business continuity, an experienced provider can maximize your measurable ROI from restructuring code.
Making the Right Decision for Your Spring Applications
Ultimately, the decision to refactor Spring applications should be driven by clear business objectives and informed by a comprehensive analysis of the current state. Before embarking on any refactoring initiative:
- Conduct a thorough assessment of your technical debt and performance.
- Define clear success metrics for the code refactoring effort, whether related to performance, maintainability, or enablement of new capabilities.
- Assess your team capabilities to determine if your in-house IT team has the necessary skills and experience to successfully refactor code—or identify a partner who can support your project from end to end.
At Capstone IT Solutions, our application modernization experts have guided numerous organizations through successful refactoring and Spring upgrade initiatives. As a Broadcom Expert Advantage Partner, our proven track record in Spring development enables us to tailor our approach to your unique situation.
Whether it’s time to refactor now or prioritize maintenance, get your applications ahead of the curve.
Transform your technical debt into technical advantage. Schedule a Spring consultation with Capstone IT Solutions.