Why Code Refactoring Is Ignored in Chinese IT Companies – 8 Common Reasons

Severely Compressed Project Timelines – Launch at Any Cost

Time compression is common in development; with rapid C‑end growth and mobile app proliferation, system analysis duties shift to product teams lacking technical depth, leading to repeated requirement changes and tight schedules. Developers prioritize shipping over refactoring, lacking time, energy, or motivation.

Complex, High‑Risk Modules Make Refactoring Costly

Modules targeted for refactoring are often shared across many features; changes affect numerous interfaces, requiring extensive testing, unit and integration tests, and re‑deployment, which dramatically increases workload and risk of new bugs, making colleagues resent the effort.

No Recognition or Achievement, Facing Peer Resentment

Even if code works, pushing for refactoring can alienate teammates, especially testers, and yields no visible credit; external stakeholders value new features over internal improvements, so developers receive little acknowledgment for refactoring effort.

Insufficient Skills to Undertake Refactoring

Many programmers lack the depth to refactor effectively; rapid training programs produce graduates with superficial knowledge, focusing on language syntax and IDE usage while neglecting fundamentals like algorithms, data structures, and system design, leaving them unable to improve legacy code.

Short‑Term Gains Over Long‑Term Architecture

The industry prioritizes quick feature releases to stay competitive; funding and management focus on immediate revenue, treating architecture as a secondary concern, leading developers to fix bugs rather than invest time in sustainable refactoring.

Low Status and Lack of Voice for Developers

Developers often have little influence; frequent product requirement changes and managerial pressure force them to accept suboptimal solutions, with no recognition for architectural quality, reinforcing a culture that devalues refactoring.

Rapid Product Iteration Makes Refactoring Impractical

Fast‑moving internet products, especially mobile apps, evolve so quickly that legacy architectures become obsolete; companies prioritize speed over code quality, accepting messy code as long as it functions for users.

High Employee Turnover Increases Maintenance Burden

Frequent staff changes, especially in major cities, mean new developers inherit legacy code they never wrote, making refactoring painful; the lack of continuity raises maintenance costs and discourages systematic improvements.