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Honestly I think this may be a component: besides code shame (my code is bad and I don't want other people to see it) a lot of programmers also feel protective
by saalweachter 6y ago
Honestly I think this may be a component: besides code shame (my code is bad and I don't want other people to see it) a lot of programmers also feel protective of their code. They want it to last forever, a paean to their skills. Writing simple code to throw away and refactor feels like a failure -- it should be perfect and eternal.
- psahgal 6y agoI totally understand the sentiment of writing elegant code that lasts forever, but I think developers need to manage their expectations a little better. If you're writing foundational code for an operating system, then yeah, whatever you write is going to stick around for a while. (Which means you need to be a LOT more careful about what you write.) If you're writing code for a mobile app or website, expect your code to get thrown out in a few months due to shifting requirements. I'm sure the Facebook app has been completely rewritten more than once, since they switched to React Native at one point. If you're writing a JavaScript library, expect your code to be replaced next week. :D