What is the outcome of effective commenting in code?

Effective commenting in code improves clarity and understanding for future developers. This practice allows others (including the original author at a later date) to quickly grasp the purpose and functionality of the code without having to decipher the logic through dense or complex syntax. Good comments provide context, explain why certain decisions were made, outline the intended outcomes, and clarify any intricate sections of code, offering insights that might not be immediately obvious through the code itself.

This understanding is crucial in collaborative environments where multiple developers might work on the same codebase over time. Without proper comments, the time taken to understand and troubleshoot code can increase significantly, leading to potential errors or inefficiencies.

While commenting does not directly affect the execution speed of a program or the number of lines of code, it certainly plays a crucial role in maintainability and team collaboration. The presence of effective comments generally leads to cleaner, more understandable code rather than increased complexity, which can actually result from poorly written code that lacks clarity.