Rule of Three: When and Why to Refactor Your Code, Explained Simply

The Rule of Three is a code refactoring principle popularized by Martin Fowler that guides developers on when to clean up repetitive code. It states that the first time you write something, just do it; the second time you write something similar, note the repetition but proceed anyway; by the third time, refactoring should begin. Refactoring improves code readability, maintainability, and benefits both the original developer and future contributors. The principle applies whether you are adding a new feature, fixing a bug, or conducting a code review. A simple C# example using Cat, Bird, and Snake classes illustrates how repeated code can be consolidated into a shared Animal base class through inheritance.