Good Source Code

Question

I was asked this question in an interview: How would you define good or excellent code?

Answer

Here is what I came with. I guess everyone can answer it using his own words. Excellent code is working code. I mean it is the code that implements a software requirement specification which eventually makes the customer satisfied. Customers do not see source code but they see compiled code. However, code at the end of the day is our tool to develop working products. In order for this tool to be effective tool then code has to be simple (implementation), readable (documentation, indentation), modular (OOD), layered (frameworks), clean (design), optimized (performance), etc.