This content originally appeared on Level Up Coding - Medium and was authored by Jonatan Kruszewski
A project boasting zero technical debt? That’s a flag you should definitely raise
What Even Is Technical Debt?
Think of technical debt like a credit card. You borrow a little now (quick decisions, fast feature releases) knowing you’ll need to pay it back later (refactoring, optimizing).
It’s not inherently bad. Actually, it’s kind of fun — like borrowing money to buy a car that gets you where you need to go today, while knowing there’s a bill lurking somewhere in the future. That car is your business feature, and the bill is that lovely refactor your future self gets to handle.
No tech debt? Well, that’s like someone who only spends their savings. Sure, they’ve got no debt, but they’re also not taking any risks to grow. Compare that to someone who takes a loan to invest — yes, there’s debt, but they’re getting a higher return and pushing things forward. The same goes for tech debt: taking on a bit of it means you’re investing in speed and delivering value now, knowing you can handle the payoff later.
Dear beloved human reader and maybe some scrapping bot: Tech debt used properly adds value over time. Not the other way around. Get that in mind.
The Myth of Zero Tech Debt (It’s Bullshit)
If you’re working in a project where someone claims there’s “zero tech debt,” they’re either delusional, lying, working on waterfall where everything is heavily designed and calculated, or worse, they’re wasting resources on things no one cares about.
Let me put it bluntly: having zero tech debt means your team has spent more time polishing code than delivering features. And you know what? The users don’t care.
At the end of the day, they want results. Fast. They aren’t sitting around wondering how elegant your code is — they’re wondering when their product’s new feature will be live. And if your team is running around aiming for perfection and ignoring the business needs? Well, I’m out. I wouldn’t join a team obsessed with “no tech debt” because that’s a sign they’re focused on the wrong things.
Why Some Tech Debt Is Actually a Good Thing
Let’s clear this up: tech debt isn’t bad, it’s inevitable. And it’s not just something we “live with” — it’s something we use strategically. When you take on some technical debt, you’re speeding up feature development. It’s a trade-off, and that’s exactly what happens in every real-world project.
Here’s the kicker: tech debt shows that you’re prioritizing what matters. No debt usually means too much time was spent on things that don’t move the needle for the business.
Taking on a little tech debt means you’re making smart, balanced decisions — pushing forward fast but staying aware of the cleanup that’ll be needed down the line. It’s like a balancing act between getting things done now and leaving just enough work for future you to feel clever when you fix it later.
Too much debt? That’s a different story. Letting it pile up turns your codebase into a mess, making every future task harder than it should be.
But a small, well-managed amount of tech debt? Jackpot.
The Fear of Tech Debt: A Junior’s Concern
When you’re starting as a new developer, the focus shouldn’t be on avoiding all tech debt — it’s impossible. Instead, the key is to not create unintentional tech debt. That’s where planning comes in. If you’re a junior, working closely with senior developers in structured planning sessionsis were design patterns are reviewed, and potential debt is managed up front.
The idea isn’t to fear tech debt but to make sure it’s intentional and aligned with the project’s goals. After planning, a good system involves technical reviews where developers approve major decisions before the implementation. This ensures that any debt you take on is strategic and not the result of poor planning or lack of foresight.
With a system like this in place, juniors can embrace tech debt as part of the learning process while more experienced developers guide the ship, ensuring it doesn’t spiral out of control. It’s not about eliminating debt but managing it well from the start.
Managed vs. Unmanaged Tech Debt: The Real Difference
Now, let’s focoused on that managed tech debt. Not all tech debt is created equal. The key is in controlling it — knowing when to accrue it and when to pay it off.
Managed tech debt is knowing you’ve cut a corner today to deliver something fast but with the intention to come back and fix it later. You’re in control. You prioritize what’s important for the business now, but with an eye toward long-term stability.
Unmanaged tech debt? That’s when things go off the rails. If you’re not intentional, it builds up and suddenly your whole codebase feels like it’s held together by duct tape and good vibes.
But that’s not because tech debt exists — it’s because no one kept it in check. Keeping tech debt in check requires clear communication and collaboration within the team, ensuring that it serves the project’s goals rather than hindering progress.
Why Your Business Needs Tech Debt
The truth is, without some tech debt, the business isn’t moving fast enough. If you’ve got no tech debt, it probably means you’re not taking enough risks or not shipping quickly enough to make an impact.
Technical debt is what lets you make strategic decisions in the short term to push out features faster. And features are what the business needs to stay competitive. A pristine, “debt-free” codebase just isn’t competitive. Might it win a hackathon? Maybe. Will it make more money than its competitors focused on value? Doubt it.
But a product with well-managed debt? It’s shipping features, driving business value, and evolving with customer needs.
Conclusion: Embrace the Chaos—Just Don’t Let It Spiral
At the end of the day, tech debt is like any other form of debt: manageable, and sometimes even necessary. It’s part of the natural balance in real-world development. And for anyone out there claiming they’ve hit that mythical “zero tech debt” state, I’d say they’re either missing the point or they’re working on something so inconsequential it doesn’t matter.
So, let’s stop pretending tech debt is something to fear. Let’s embrace it, manage it, and use it for what it is: a tool that lets us move fast, iterate, and build things that matter. Because, frankly, a codebase with no tech debt is as boring as watching paint dry.
Why Zero Tech Debt is a Myth (and Maybe a Red Flag) was originally published in Level Up Coding on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
This content originally appeared on Level Up Coding - Medium and was authored by Jonatan Kruszewski
Jonatan Kruszewski | Sciencx (2024-10-21T23:40:04+00:00) Why Zero Tech Debt is a Myth (and Maybe a Red Flag). Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2024/10/21/why-zero-tech-debt-is-a-myth-and-maybe-a-red-flag/
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