How can refactoring improve the long-term maintainability of an OutSystems application?

Refactoring enhances the long-term maintainability of an OutSystems application by systematically reducing complexity and improving the overall structure of the code. This process involves analyzing and restructuring existing code without altering its external behavior, which results in clearer and more organized code. As redundancy is eliminated, developers can easily follow and comprehend the logic, making it simpler to modify and adapt the application to future requirements.

By improving code structure, developers can more readily identify areas where further enhancements or fixes may be needed, ultimately leading to faster development cycles and a reduction in the likelihood of bugs. Consequently, the ease of understanding the system allows new developers or team members to onboard more swiftly, which is especially valuable in a collaborative environment where team compositions may change over time.

In summary, refactoring directly contributes to a more maintainable application by fostering an approachable codebase that can evolve alongside changing business needs without significant overhead or risk of errors.