Boost Your Coding Speed: 6 Proven Code‑Generation Techniques

Method 1: Hand‑write Code

Most beginners start by manually typing a simple program such as the classic "Hello world" in Java, which demonstrates basic syntax, functions, and logic. Hand‑coding is often used in on‑site programming interviews to assess a candidate's fundamental skills.

Method 2: Copy‑Paste Code

Copy‑pasting accelerates development but requires careful review to ensure suitability for the current context. Overuse can lead to maintenance problems when duplicated code proliferates.

Reduces development time.

Lowers risk of new bugs if the source is stable.

Enables reuse of existing solutions.

Method 3: Text‑Replacement Generation

By preparing a template and using a text editor's find‑and‑replace feature, developers can quickly generate similar code, such as switching a user‑related service to a company‑related one.

/** Query user service */
public PageData<UserVO> queryUser(QueryUserParameterVO parameter) {
    Long totalCount = userDAO.countByParameter(parameter);
    List<UserVO> userList = null;
    if (Objects.nonNull(totalCount) && totalCount.compareTo(0L) > 0) {
        userList = userDAO.queryByParameter(parameter);
    }
    return new PageData<>(totalCount, userList);
}

/** Query company service */
public PageData<CompanyVO> queryCompany(QueryCompanyParameterVO parameter) {
    Long totalCount = companyDAO.countByParameter(parameter);
    List<CompanyVO> companyList = null;
    if (Objects.nonNull(totalCount) && totalCount.compareTo(0L) > 0) {
        companyList = companyDAO.queryByParameter(parameter);
    }
    return new PageData<>(totalCount, companyList);
}

The entire generation process typically takes less than a minute.

Method 4: Excel Formula Generation

Excel can generate model classes, enums, and SQL statements by defining formulas that concatenate code fragments based on tabular data.

/** User ID */
@NotNull private Long id;
/** User name */
@NotBlank private String name;
/** User gender (0: unknown; 1: male; 2: female) */
@NotNull private Integer sex;
/** User description */
private String description;

Method 5: Tool‑Based Generation

IDE plugins such as MyBatis‑Generator can automatically produce model classes, mapper interfaces, and XML mapping files, saving time while ensuring consistency.

public class UserDO {
    @NotNull private Long id;
    @NotBlank private String name;
    @NotNull private Integer sex;
    private String description;
    // ...
}

public interface UserMapper {
    User selectByPrimaryKey(Long id);
    // ...
}

<mapper namespace="com.example.UserMapper">
    <resultMap id="BaseResultMap" type="com.example.UserDO">
        <id column="id" property="id" jdbcType="BIGINT" />
        <result column="name" property="name" jdbcType="VARCHAR" />
        <result column="sex" property="sex" jdbcType="INTEGER" />
    </resultMap>
    <select id="selectByPrimaryKey" resultMap="BaseResultMap" parameterType="java.lang.Long">
        SELECT * FROM user WHERE id = #{id}
    </select>
</mapper>

Method 6: Custom Code‑Generator

Developers can write their own generators that read database metadata and emit Java files, DAO interfaces, and MyBatis XML mappings, offering full control over format and functionality.

private void generateModelClassFile(File dir, Table table, List<Column> columns) throws Exception {
    try (PrintWriter writer = new PrintWriter(new File(dir, className + "DO.java"))) {
        writer.println("package " + packageName + ";");
        writer.println("@Getter");
        writer.println("@Setter");
        writer.println("public class " + className + "DO {");
        for (Column col : columns) {
            writer.println("    /** " + col.getComment() + " */");
            writer.println("    private " + col.getJavaType() + " " + col.getFieldName() + ";");
        }
        writer.println("}");
    }
}

Conclusion

There is no universally superior technique; the key is to select the method that best fits the task. Maintaining coding standards, using appropriate tools, and being flexible across different approaches constitute the ultimate strategy for rapid, high‑quality development.