Why is refactoring important in software development?

Refactoring is crucial in software development primarily because it enhances code maintainability and readability. Over time, codebases can become unwieldy as developers add new features, fix bugs, or make changes to the original functionality. This can lead to a situation where the code is difficult to understand or modify, potentially slowing down future development efforts.

Through refactoring, developers improve the internal structure of the code without altering its external behavior. This process makes the code cleaner and clearer, which aids both current and future developers in comprehending the code. It can simplify complex functions, eliminate redundancy, and establish better naming conventions, all of which contribute to a more robust and maintainable software product. As a result, when a codebase is easier to read and manage, it fosters quicker onboarding of new developers and reduces the risk of introducing bugs during future modifications.

In contrast, the other options either misrepresent the purpose of refactoring or imply a negative outcome to the process, which is not aligned with its intended benefits.