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The functionality is an asset; the lines of code to produce the functionality can be considered a liability. But... if you do the same thing in fewer lines, by
by AnimalMuppet 3y ago
The functionality is an asset; the lines of code to produce the functionality can be considered a liability.
But... if you do the same thing in fewer lines, by writing terser code, that may be harder to understand and therefore maintain, and that's also a liability - maybe more of a liability.
If lines of code are a liability, some lines of code are much more so, because they are hard to understand, overengineered, badly designed, brittle, or probably several other reasons. Code is a liability; bad code is far more so. Get the most assets - functionality - with the least cost - lines of code plus "things that make code more expensive".
- mkoubaa 3y agoCode is a liability does not imply more lines of code is more liability. You can owe 1000 dollars to one neighbor and 1 dollar each to 100 neighbors. The number of neighbors you owe money to is not the right metric for how much liability you have. But it's still wrong to say that owing 13 cents to your best friend is not a liability
- hamandcheese 3y agoThink of lines of code as parts in a mechanical assembly. Not all parts are the same, obviously. But a design with fewer parts will probably be cheaper and more reliable than a design with more parts.