The Joel Test: 12 Steps to Better Code
The neat thing about The Joel Test is that it’s easy to get a quick yes or no to each question. You don’t have to figure out lines-of-code-per-day or average-bugs-per-inflection-point. Give your team 1 point for each “yes” answer. The bummer about The Joel Test is that you really shouldn’t use it to make sure that your nuclear power plant software is safe.
The Joel Test is not a manifesto in the strict sense of the word; rather, it consists of 12 questions that can serve as a simple assessment of the maturity of a software development team or an entire organisational unit.
The questions are designed to be answered simply with ‘yes’ or ‘no’, and the result can be used as a score.
The manifest can be found at https://www.joelonsoftware.com/2000/08/09/the-joel-test-12-steps-to-better-code/.
Why should one read manifestos?
Manifestos express the convictions, goals and intentions of their authors. Since authors usually have extensive experience in their field, they provide a good opportunity to engage with new and perhaps different ideas.
They are therefore an opportunity to reflect on one’s own views, regardless of whether one agrees with their point of view or not.