16 Comments
Oct 27Liked by Gregor Ojstersek

Clever code is probably the worst code you could write.

Clear, readable code is probably the hardest code to write.

Great article Gregor!

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Simple code is hard to write! And yes clever for you might be a nightmare to understand for someone else. Thanks Petar!

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I think we get paid to make complex things simple

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Right, this should definitely be one of the main focuses for all of us.

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Nov 10Liked by Gregor Ojstersek

A truly simple solution is not just easy to understand, it’s easy to maintain, scale, and evolve.

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Well said Tomek, it's something we can easily work with!

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This is how it starts.

Then people want to add and add, and add…

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Oct 28·edited Oct 28Author

Right, it happens unfortunately. It’s important that devs do the right thing and ask questions + challenge the requirements if someone wants to keep adding and adding.

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I really like your blog and how you interpret things. On a related note, I’ve been using EchoAPI in VS Code, and it has completely transformed my API testing workflow!

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Thanks a lot Stephanie for the kind words and glad that you like reading my articles. Oh that's great. As I like to say: Anything that helps you be more productive is a good thing to use.

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Functionality is an asset, code is a liability. Therefore, no code is the best code.

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That makes sense Alex. No code -> no maintenance needed.

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Simplicity can be difficult but rewarding

Aligned with all the points about simple code

I would also add that if a solution to a problem doesn't require code writing, that's ideal (eg: not reinventing the wheel, or aligning on an alternative to a problem that requires not as involved change)

As long as we ask "why" behind a problem, that can help drive alignment

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Well said Karthik. Often, the best solution is a no-code solution. We are problem-solvers at the end of the day and writing code is just one way of solving problems.

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All products have an “operational tax”. It’s an asset, just like a home that needs repairs before it can be rented to tenants.

Just like SaaS… the simpler the codebase, the easier to maintain the asset over time. And it’s more enjoyable to contribute code to a simple and flexible codebase! Better productivity (:

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Love the analogy Robert! Very well explained. It’s important to make the code as an asset and not as a liability!

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