Why Japanese Developers Write Better Code And How You Can Too

I just finished reading Sohail Saifi’s blog about how Japanese developers write code, and it really made me think. The way Japanese teams approach software is so different from what I’ve seen before, and honestly, I think there’s a lot we could learn from them.

https://medium.com/@sohail_saifi/why-japanese-developers-write-code-completely-differently-and-why-it-works-better-de84d6244fab

Image added By author

1. Code Is Like Craft

In Japan, developers don’t just “write” code they craft it. They put a lot of thought and pride into every line, kind of like an artist or a craftsman. I like this idea. Maybe we rush too much to deliver new features and forget that our code will be used (and fixed) for years.

2. Small Improvements Every Day

The idea of “kaizen” just improving a little bit, every day makes a big difference. Japanese developers don’t wait for a “tech debt sprint.” They make small changes as soon as they see a better way. That feels less stressful and avoids big, risky rewrites.

Here’s an example of improving a function a little bit daily:

// Original approach: Large function doing too much at once
function handleUsers(users) {
  // big chunk of logic mixing filtering and processing
  return processedResults; 
}

// Japanese-inspired approach: Improve step by step
function handleUsers(users) {
  // First: Extract filtering logic
  const activeUsers = users.filter(user => user.isActive);
  
  // Next steps: improve processing logic one small piece at a time
  return processActiveUsers(activeUsers);
}

3. Only Build What’s Needed

Japanese teams don’t build everything just in case they need it later. They build what’s needed for today, and only add more if it’s truly necessary. I think this keeps code simple and easy to understand.

4. Fix Problems Right Away

If there’s a bug, they stop everything and fix it immediately. At first, it sounds extreme, but it means those tiny issues don’t pile up and cause pain later. Maybe we should do this more often, instead of always saying “we’ll deal with it next sprint.”

5. Clear Names and Helpful Comments

I love that Japanese developers use simple and clear variable names, even if English isn’t their first language. And they comment their code a lot not to explain “bad code” but to help the next person (maybe even themselves!) understand the business logic. This would save a lot of time when working on older projects.

6. Learning from Mistakes

After a project, they do a group reflection not to blame anyone, but to find small ways to improve. It feels like a healthy way to grow as a team and keep the codebase in good shape.

What I Want to Try

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After reading this, I want to:

• Make one small improvement in my codebase every day, no matter how tiny.

• Use clearer variable names and comment on the “why” behind my code.

• Pause and fix bugs properly when I see them instead of patching them up in a rush.

• Spend a little time after each project talking about what we can do better next time.

Final Thoughts

The Japanese way is not about being fancy or fast. It’s about being steady, thoughtful, and building things that last. I think we could all benefit from trying out some of these ideas, even if we start with just one or two. Our future selves (and our teammates) will thank us.