The Ten Commandments of Software Development

software philosophy
coding principles

02 Mar, 2024

"As a software engineer, your skill is in more demand than ever before, but it’s up to you to keep it sharp." - Robert C. Martin

In the realm of software development, certain principles guide us. Here are the Ten Commandments of Software Development:

  1. Write Simple Code: Concentrate on making your code simple and understandable. As Martin Fowler puts it, "Any fool can write code that a computer can understand. Good programmers write code that humans can understand."

  2. Don't Repeat Yourself (DRY): Every piece of knowledge must have a single, unambiguous, authoritative representation within a system. More on this can be found here.

  3. Keep It Short and Sweet (KISS): Avoid unnecessary complexity. If it can be done in a simpler way, do it.

  4. Make It Work, Then Make It Better: Don't aim for perfection from the start. Build a prototype, then iterate and improve.

  5. Test Your Code: Always write tests for your code. It ensures reliability and can save you from potential bugs.

  6. Stay Updated: Technology evolves rapidly. Keep learning and stay updated with the latest technology trends.

  7. Collaborate: Software development is a team sport. Learn to work effectively with others.

  8. Think about the User: Your software is meant to solve problems for its users. Always keep them in mind.

  9. Continuous Improvement: Strive to improve your codebase and your skills constantly.

  10. Have Fun: Enjoy the process. If you love what you do, you'll do great work.

"Programming isn't about what you know; it's about what you can figure out." - Chris Pine

These commandments are not set in stone, but they provide a solid foundation for any software engineer. Keep them in mind, and they will undoubtedly lead you to produce better software.


That's it for now, thanks for reading! You can find me at @samuellawrentz on X.
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