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We have a custom framework at work, with a really large codebase, and I find it was easier to understand than any open-source framework I've worked before, beca

by Zababa 5y ago

We have a custom framework at work, with a really large codebase, and I find it was easier to understand than any open-source framework I've worked before, because everything is well-encapsulated and changes have very local consequences. That wasn't my experience with most open-source web frameworks, that often seem optimized for conciseness and people that already know them. I also reject the idea of "They either use an existing framework, or they eventually end up creating a custom framework which only they understand and which gets thrown out and replaced with a common framework when they leave the company". The popular open-source frameworks were created by people like you and me. Those people were good, for sure, but not perfect, just like us. They also often try to make something very generic that may not fit your specific use case. Trying to bend a framework to do something it's not meant to isn't better than writing your own code. I think that these days we have too much worship of open source code. Sure, not having to write code is sometimes very nice, but sometimes a few lines of code can help you avoid a dependency.

blunte 5y ago
Isn’t your custom framework exactly what I said? Use an existing one , or write one that only you (and your team) know. Of course, the bigger your codebase and the more unique your needs, the more reasonable it becomes to create your own.
- Zababa 5y ago
  > Isn’t your custom framework exactly what I said? No, it's not. > Use an existing one , or write one that only you (and your team) know. Not only my team, pretty much any people working with it in the company. The difference with something like Django is that people don't know it before coming in the company, which doesn't make a big difference. To go back to the message I replied to, you said > "They either use an existing framework, or they eventually end up creating a custom framework which only they understand and which gets thrown out and replaced with a common framework when they leave the company." I disagree. There's no reason to replace our custom framework, as it's working well and since the codebase is getting a bit old, this would be just too much. We also have good training material around it, better than what you can usually find about open source framework online, without even mentionning mentoring. Then there's > "At the least, they give new devs a common understanding to begin from when they join or take over an existing project." The flip side of that is that you need to recruit developers that know a framework, which will by definition limit your talent pool.

by Zababa 5y ago

blunte 5y ago

Isn’t your custom framework exactly what I said? Use an existing one , or write one that only you (and your team) know. Of course, the bigger your codebase and the more unique your needs, the more reasonable it becomes to create your own.

Zababa 5y ago
> Isn’t your custom framework exactly what I said? No, it's not. > Use an existing one , or write one that only you (and your team) know. Not only my team, pretty much any people working with it in the company. The difference with something like Django is that people don't know it before coming in the company, which doesn't make a big difference. To go back to the message I replied to, you said > "They either use an existing framework, or they eventually end up creating a custom framework which only they understand and which gets thrown out and replaced with a common framework when they leave the company." I disagree. There's no reason to replace our custom framework, as it's working well and since the codebase is getting a bit old, this would be just too much. We also have good training material around it, better than what you can usually find about open source framework online, without even mentionning mentoring. Then there's > "At the least, they give new devs a common understanding to begin from when they join or take over an existing project." The flip side of that is that you need to recruit developers that know a framework, which will by definition limit your talent pool.