> writing code in a self-documenting manner eliminates the need for comments. This is just incorrect.
why do you think it is always incorrect? in my opinion "good comments" about design decisions, hidden assumptions the code is relying on, etc. should be included in documentation or surrounding .md files, but not in code sources. Sentences made of english words and sentences made of instructions for computer/interpreter are completely different constructions which imply separate language processing in programmer's brain. it is like mixing up english and french in a single book page -- one french sentence per 30 english is tolerable, while 30 french sentences mixed up with 30 english ones become much less informative than if they were seprarated into different pages.
why do you think it is always incorrect? in my opinion "good comments" about design decisions, hidden assumptions the code is relying on, etc. should be included in documentation or surrounding .md files, but not in code sources. Sentences made of english words and sentences made of instructions for computer/interpreter are completely different constructions which imply separate language processing in programmer's brain. it is like mixing up english and french in a single book page -- one french sentence per 30 english is tolerable, while 30 french sentences mixed up with 30 english ones become much less informative than if they were seprarated into different pages.