Adding more duck tape
Why tech debt is truly a debt
Hey everyone,
Have you ever used duct tape to fix something, like a leak in your kitchen or your car? If you have, you know that it tends to work quite well, especially if you wrap it around a few times. It's a quick solution that does the job.
But what if you get another leak later? Sure, you can go back and do the same thing. And if there's another leak, you repeat the process. But at some point, you realize that adding more tape isn’t fixing the root of the problem. It’s just dealing with the symptoms. Even worse, if the tape itself starts to peel or blocks access to the pipe, making real repairs will become harder and harder.
This is what we would call, in programming, "tech debt." You go and do a quick fix to solve a problem, but eventually, you'll need to go back and implement a solid, long-term solution.
The term "debt" is useful here because it works just like a bank loan. Yes, sometimes, they are extremely useful to move quickly. But you always have to pay it back, often with interest.
Imagine you're working toward a minimum viable product (MVP). You can, and should, cut some corners to get there quickly (that’s your loan). But to deliver a reliable product, you eventually have to go back, clean up the mess, and pay off that debt.
Otherwise, all you're left with is layers of duct tape, peeling off at the worst possible moment.
See you next Wednesday!
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