Writing code that works is the baseline. Writing code that others can read, maintain, and extend without frustration is the real craft. Clean code principles — meaningful naming, small focused functions, avoiding duplication, and keeping side effects explicit — are as relevant today as when Robert Martin first codified them.
In practice, code reviews are your first line of defence. A culture where feedback is welcomed and standards are shared prevents the slow accumulation of technical debt that eventually stalls teams.
Invest time in readable code now; your future self and your team will thank you during the next on-call incident.