Technical Debt

Definition

Technical debt refers to the hidden costs associated with maintaining and updating software systems due to shortcuts, outdated technology, or poor design choices made during the development phase.

Analogy

Imagine you're building a house, but you're in a hurry to move in. So, you decide to use lower-quality materials and skip some important steps in the construction process. As a result, the house is built faster, but it requires more maintenance and repairs in the long run. This is similar to technical debt in software development, where taking shortcuts or using outdated technology can lead to increased maintenance costs and reduced system quality.

In other words

Technical debt is the long-term cost of making compromises in software development to save time or resources initially, but which can lead to more work and expenses in the future.

Why is technical debt important?

It's one thing to know what technical debt is, but that is worthless if you don't know why you should know what a code repository is in the first place. Let's break down the importance of this tech term based on two high-level categories. We'll walk through an explanation as well as provide a score, 1-10, that shows you how much you should care about technical debt.

Pre-Product: 3/10

If you don't have a product yet, technical debt may not seem as important. However, it's essential to be aware of the concept and its potential consequences. As you plan and design your product, keeping technical debt in mind can help you make better decisions and avoid costly shortcuts that may cause problems down the road.

Live Product: 7/10

If you have a live product, technical debt becomes more critical. As your product evolves, the accumulation of technical debt can slow down development, increase maintenance costs, and negatively impact your product's overall quality. Addressing technical debt is crucial to ensure your product remains competitive and continues to meet user needs.

Examples of technical debt

So you know what technical debt is, by definition. You know if you should care about it or not depending on your situation as a business/company/product. To dig in deeper, we will walk through some tools and processes so we can make sure you really have a solid grasp on technical debt.

Common Causes of Technical Debt

1. Outdated dependencies: Using outdated libraries or frameworks can lead to security vulnerabilities and compatibility issues, increasing technical debt.
2. Poorly written code: Code that is difficult to understand, maintain, or extend can add to technical debt.
3. Lack of documentation: Inadequate documentation makes it harder for developers to understand and maintain the codebase, contributing to technical debt.
4. Insufficient testing: Skipping or rushing through the testing process can result in undiscovered bugs and issues, which increase technical debt.

Key Takeaways:

1. Technical debt is the long-term cost of making compromises in software development to save time or resources initially, but which can lead to more work and expenses in the future.
2. If you do not yet have a product, being aware of technical debt can help you make better decisions during the planning and design phases.
3. If you do have a product, addressing technical debt is crucial to maintaining your product's quality and competitiveness.
4. Common causes of technical debt include outdated dependencies, poorly written code, lack of documentation, and insufficient testing.