I have been observing developers under these severe conditions for some time now and I've identified seven emotional stages that every developer who breaks the build due to PMD rule violations goes through. I am cataloging these here in the hope that it helps some developer cope with their broken build and move on in their project.
- Shock and denial
You will probably react to learning that your code does not conform to your project's PMD rules with numbed disbelief. You may deny the reality of this PMD rule violation at some level in order to avoid the pain. Shock provides an emotional protection from being overwhelmed all at once. - Pain and Guilt
As the shock wears off it is replaced with suffering. Although it is excruciating, it is important that you experience this pain fully and not avoid it or escape it with //NOPMD comments or by the use of alcohol or drugs.
You may have guilty feelings or remorse for the things you did or didn't do with your code. Life feels scary and chaotic during this phase. - Anger and Bargaining
Frustration gives way to anger. You lash out and lay unwarranted blame for the rule violation on someone else. You may blame PMD itself. You may blame the authors of the rules. You may rail against fate questioning "Why me?" and you may also try to bargain in vain with PMD saying things like: "I will never drink while coding again if you will just accept my patch" - Depression, reflection, loneliness
Just when other developers think you should be getting on with your project, a long period of sad reflection will likely overtake you. This is a normal stage of resolving breaking a build due to a PMD rules violation.
During this time you will finally realize the full magnitude of your rule violation. You may isolate yourself from other developers on purpose to reflect on things you did in the code-base and focus on your memories of past times before you violated the PMD rule. - The upward turn
As you start to adjust to life after a PMD rule violation has occurred, you become calmer, your thoughts organize. Your physical symptoms (these range from mild stomach cramps and headaches to full blown cold-sweats and involuntary spasms) lessen your depression lifts and you begin to formulate a plan. - Reconstruction and working through.
As your mind becomes more functional, you find yourself seeking realistic code changes to be made to resolve the PMD rule violation. You start to work on restructuring your code around the PMD rule violation. - Acceptance and hope
During this last stage you learn to accept and deal with the reality of using PMD on your project. Acceptance of PMD does not necessarily mean happiness. Given the pain and turmoil you have experienced you may never return to a care-free and untroubled code base that existed before you broke the build. But, you will find a way forward in your project.
You will start to look positively on your project again as a whole and actually plan things for future releases. You will once again anticipate writing good code and may even find joy in writing software again.
