The Changelog: Software Development, Open Source Laws for hackers to live by (Interview)
Jul 16, 2020
Dave Kerr, an IT consultant and creator of the Hacker Laws repository on GitHub, shares valuable insights on essential principles for developers. He discusses laws like YAGNI and DRY, emphasizing their importance in software design and life. The conversation explores the complexities of estimating project timelines, advocating for adaptability amid unpredictability. Dave highlights the significance of empathy in teamwork and warns against over-engineering, offering wisdom on prioritizing simplicity and practical decision-making in coding.
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YAGNI (You Ain't Gonna Need It)
- Avoid building features prematurely.
- You Ain't Gonna Need It (YAGNI).
Over-Engineering a JS Party Game Show App
- Jerod Santo and Nick Niesey over-engineered a simple image loading feature for a rarely used web app.
- A dynamic lookup, though initially appealing, led to unexpected issues with Twitter's API.
Gall's Law: Evolution of Complex Systems
- Complex systems that work evolve from simpler systems.
- Start simple and add complexity as needed, rather than designing complex systems from scratch.