Not All Code Style Rules Are Worth the Argument, Here Is How to Tell

A software developer reflects on years of code review disputes and proposes sorting style rules into three categories based on their actual impact. Some formatting rules — such as one statement per line, line length limits, and brace discipline — have measurable consequences for readability, diff clarity, and bug visibility. Others, like brace placement style or spaces versus tabs, lack supporting evidence and cost more in review time than either outcome is worth. Tools like auto-formatters can resolve the latter category instantly, freeing reviewers to focus on substantive concerns. The most valuable review energy, the author argues, belongs to questions about logic, naming, responsibility, and hidden contract violations — issues no formatter can ever settle.