4.1. Prerequisites for task-based development

Every set of changes should be documented with a brief comment that explains the reason for the change when you check changes into the VCS. I recommend that you use change comments to explain why you made the changes to the code base. Merely describing what you have done doesn’t usually add any value. For example, comments such as “checked changes in” aren’t helpful; “fixed defect #136—date calculation error” is more useful.

In Agile, it’s also essential that you commit your changes frequently so that you’re continuously integrating your code. Before you commit your changes, always refresh your sandbox to ensure that your changes won’t break the build for someone else. Basic quality gates are also important for analyzing static code, testing, and ensuring that the code can successfully compile.