Mahmoud Elfishawy’s Post

I just read this interesting article on keeping tech debt at bay. My paraphrased takeaway on how to present proposed refactoring to decision makers: - Easy, big impact: Quick win - Easy, little impact: Time filler - Difficult, big impact: Major project - Difficult, little impact: Money pit In the absence of hard numbers to use in making a refactoring decision, this seems like a pretty straightforward yet powerful approach. Do you have any suggestions on how to make more data-driven decisions on refactoring efforts?

"A manageable technical or code debt is a good thing as it speeds development. There are also instances when the speed to market for a critical feature, bug fix, or other short-term priorities trump the analysis of medium to long-term impact. The key word here is “manageable”. If left unchecked, it becomes a problem of exponentially increasing magnitude with time when new debt is accumulated on top of existing one." Discover key insights and actionable tips on how to identify, prioritize, and address technical debt in software development: https://lnkd.in/g3B4gv86 #softwaredevelopment #technicaldebt #legacyapplications

How To Deal With Technical Debt 1. Code quality — our code could be clearer to understand. There are no coding standards, it’s poorly designed, and there is a lot of complexity. In addition, there are a lot of code comments explaining what something does. 2. Testing — we need a proper testing approach (check Test Pyramid), from unit tests to integration to E2E tests. Coupling — between modules that block each other increases the time to deal with such code. 3. Out-of-date Libraries or Tools — we are using some legacy libraries or tools with several issues, such as security or inability to update to new technologies and platforms. We, as developers, always want to work with the most up-to-date technologies and efficient tools. 4. Manual Process — some processes in our delivery need to be automated. No automated builds, no CI/CD process. 5. Wrong or no architecture — we don’t have proper architecture, or it’s just a big ball of mud. Our architecture doesn’t reflect what we want to achieve with our system, or it doesn’t scale well. 6. Lack of Documentation — there is no documentation, or it’s not updated to reflect the system’s current state. 7. Lack of Knowledge Sharing — we don’t have a culture of knowledge sharing, so it isn’t easy for newcomers to get up to speed. We should always document our decisions and specifications during our work. https://lnkd.in/dqdmByKf

Another post for indebted tech... hilight notes: "...sink literal months into completely restructuring working, maintainable code because it didn’t match their personal architectural preferences. This is not tech debt: this is one developer making a cavalier choice about the business’s resources. This is code renovation, not code maintenance." "The work is not finished on a house after you build it. The building needs maintenance" "Code stewardship is a whole, difficult skill that is completely separate from writing feature code, which is what most developers are" https://lnkd.in/dCZ7_XsJ #techdeb #dev #project #coding

Understanding and Tackling Technical Debt: A Path to Innovation 🚀In the fast-paced world of software development, it's all too easy to accumulate technical debt. Just like financial debt, technical debt involves making trade-offs to meet deadlines, which can lead to long-term challenges if left unaddressed. It often manifests as outdated code, lack of documentation, or shortcuts that were once necessary but now hinder progress. ⚙️ Technical debt can significantly slow down development, making it difficult to add new features, integrate modern technologies, or even maintain the system efficiently. The real cost of technical debt becomes apparent when innovation is stifled, and team productivity takes a hit. 💡 However, addressing technical debt isn't just about "cleaning up the mess." It's about creating a robust foundation that enables your team to innovate and implement complex features that were previously out of reach. By strategically refactoring and optimizing your codebase, you can unlock new possibilities and ensure your software is scalable, maintainable, and ready for the future. 🚀 Is your team struggling with technical debt? Are you finding it challenging to implement new features or scale your application? Contact us today! Let's collaborate to eliminate technical debt and pave the way for innovation. Together, we can transform your codebase and bring your most ambitious projects and features to life. #TechnicalDebt #SoftwareDevelopment #Innovation #CodeRefactoring #TechLeadership #SoftwareEngineering

As a developer you must know what Technical Debt is💯 What is Technical Debt? A Layman's Guide: This thread 🧵 contains all you need to know About Technical debt and why it happens 👏🏼 Technical Debt - The Hidden Cost of Quick Fixes: Technical debt is like cutting corners when building a house. You might get things done faster, but eventually, those shortcuts can lead to problems that need fixing..... In software development, technical debt refers to the extra work created when developers choose an easy or quick solution instead of a better, more time-consuming one. Why Does Technical Debt Happen? It often occurs when teams are under pressure to deliver features quickly. They might skip best practices, ignore code quality, thinking they’ll fix it later But just like financial debt, the longer you wait to address it, the bigger it gets. How Does Technical Debt Affect Software? Over time, technical debt can make your codebase harder to work with. Increase the chances of bugs, and make it more challenging to add new features. If left unchecked, it can even lead to system failures. Why is Managing Technical Debt Important? It’s about balancing the need for speed with the need for stability. Regularly addressing technical debt ensures that your code remains scalable, allowing you to build better software without being bogged down by past shortcuts. Alright that’s a wrap. Follow Wisdom Uchendu for more

Technical debt vs bad code. Code can be considered "bad" for various reasons, including being hard to read, not following coding standards, lacking proper documentation, or being inefficient. The key distinction is the element of awareness. Writing "bad code" might happen unintentionally, perhaps due to time constraints, lack of understanding, or external pressures. Technical debt, on the other hand, involves a conscious decision to take shortcuts or compromise on code quality. This awareness could stem from the need to meet tight deadlines, deliver features quickly, or address other business priorities. While incurring technical debt can be a pragmatic decision, it's crucial to manage it effectively. Teams should be aware of their technical debt, have strategies for paying it off, and ensure that it doesn't accumulate to the point where it hinders productivity and innovation. If you're writing bad code with no intention of cleaning it up and calling it tech debt, it isn't, it's just bad code. Call a spade, a spade, call crappy code, crappy code. #WardCunningham We hit deadlines, technical debt is sometimes required but we always pay it off. Check us out! https://lnkd.in/eh83TunJ

Technical debt is kind of like the accumulation of shortcuts, workarounds, and quick fixes we make to meet deadlines or launch a product. ⏰ 🤤But it's not just poorly-written code that becomes technical debt, even well-written code contributes to this idea. Technical debt isn't a personal failing; it's a natural byproduct of software development. So to get a better understanding, there are two things you can start doing right now: 1) Track the real costs: Measure things like: maintenance load – how much time is spent on tasks that aren't adding or removing features? ⏳ 2) Prioritize strategically: Tackle the technical debt that's actually hindering your progress, not just the code that offends your sensibilities. 🎯 And hey, if all code is technical debt, maybe it's time to consider a debt-free future with 2-way no-code solutions. 😉 (Just a thought!) 👉https://bit.ly/3VfEVTN #TechnicalDebt #SoftwareDevelopment #NoCode #Productivity

Hot take: Technical debt is not your enemy! Technical debt as a term is often thrown around with negative connotations. I'm want to argue that the only reason why it becomes a problem is your dev processes not the code itself. Not all code is created equal. Some parts of a software system are critical to its core functionality and performance. Any technical debt here is indeed risky - granted. However, there's a lot of code that, while essential, is not mission-critical. Things like background jobs, local dev tools, or internal reporting systems. Here we can often find some technical debt, but the impact is limited. The key is understanding the difference between high-impact and low-impact code. These pieces of code might make lives easier and believe it or not - might be easier to manage than modern tech stacks. If the risk is low then why poke it? Not all code has to be throwaway - no matter what the modern dev philosophies tell you. - Code vs. build - Complex build pipelines, messed up dependencies, and outdated infrastructure can make refactoring a nightmare. This is where the real damage of technical debt lies – not in the code, but in the process! Instead of a blanket condemnation of technical debt, I'd argue we should rather learn to manage it effectively. This includes prioritizing improvements based on achieved value, their impact, investing in streamlining development processes, and creating a culture of continuous improvement. Let's focus on creating value! Will refactoring actually make anything better or will just tick the box? Is the current solution a real risk or just risk on someones excel sheet? Is the code serving its purpose? If not then perhaps we shouldn't refactor it, perhaps we should just retire it? If we look at technical debt as a tool, not as a curse it can even accelerate development. But like any tool - it does need a great skills to master. Should we rather try to eliminate technical debt or learn to manage it effectively?

Have you ever requested a seemingly straightforward feature, only to be told, “We can’t do that because of the way the system is”? Or have you encountered project estimates that seem unreasonably high? Maybe you’ve even heard your engineering team lament over technical debt, proposing a dedicated sprint to address it. These scenarios exemplify different facets of technical debt, akin to financial debt in that there are many ways to find yourself saddled with it. Let's explore the influence of technical debt on your team’s productivity and effective strategies for managing it. Read the full article below. #softwareengineering #technicaldebt #softwaredevelopment https://lnkd.in/gRygRqrN