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Small systems age better
A short argument for fewer moving parts, clearer ownership, and software that can explain itself six months later.
Utkarsh Dubey· 1 min read
The test of a small system is not whether it uses little code. It is whether one person can hold its important relationships in their head.
That kind of system has a few useful properties:
- its state has an obvious home;
- failures point toward a cause;
- ownership is clear;
- removing a feature makes the system smaller.
Complexity is sometimes the price of the problem. Accidental complexity is usually the price of delayed decisions.
I try to notice the difference.