4 ms·

Well said. All the smart things I ever read about technical debt basically describe debt and add the word "technical" - because that's what it is. It's not mai

• user5994461 6y ago
  It's not debt because unlike (financial) debt, there is no way to not take it or to repay it. Technical debt in software is unavoidable. Every variable and function and design decision can invariably be rebranded as technical debt soon enough. The implication of "technical debt" is that there is a perfect state to reach with no debt, but there isn't. It also implies that debt could be avoided but it can't be, it's inherent to development.
  • galoisgirl 6y ago
    I'm writing this as a middle-class person, who has to go into debt if she wants to buy a house. It's not a bad thing - I want the house now but saving up would take too long. It's just a choice. "Repaying" technical debt is implementing the missing features, removing the temporary hacks etc. Not taking it can be an option, if you have full funding upfront for example. It's just not always the best option. Just like borrowing money, getting into some technical debt can be worthwhile.
  • mtVessel 6y ago
    Branding every possible decision as "technical debt" is intellectually dishonest. Each decision you make has consequences. Technical debt is the result of choosing an expedient path over one that supports your wider goals. It's true that there's no perfect state, but only because this is engineering, where we don't care about "perfection", only tolerances.