Programming in teams, working on larger systems, keeping code healthy

Keeping codebases healthy

Technical debt

Technical debt refers to the idea that

when you decide to apply a simplified, quick-fix, incomplete solution now,

particularly when you know you know will probably have to redo it properly later.

Note that this lies on a scale between

quick fix now, polish it up later

some double work between now and then

the work later will probably be a complete restructuring

Whether this is a good or bad idea depends on context, because yeah, often enough the ability to get other people started is worth some extra hours spent overall.

Yet when postponing mean a complete redesign there is a very good argument for more effort up front.

Particularly when the thing we talk about is something other parts will build on.

Particularly when that postponing it will lead to entangled things you will also need to change, increase that future work, on top of a moderate amount spent on a quick fix now.