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AI makes tech debt more expensive

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467 points 0x63_Problems | 2 comments | 14 Nov 24 16:01 UTC | HN request time: 0.416s | source
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dkdbejwi383 ◴[14 Nov 24 16:51 UTC] No.42138113[source]▶
> However, in ‘high-debt’ environments with subtle control flow, long-range dependencies, and unexpected patterns, they struggle to generate a useful response

I'd argue that a lot of this is not "tech debt" but just signs of maturity in a codebase. Real world business requirements don't often map cleanly onto any given pattern. Over time codebases develop these "scars", little patches of weirdness. It's often tempting for the younger, less experienced engineer to declare this as tech debt or cruft or whatever, and that a full re-write is needed. Only to re-learn the lessons those scars taught in the first place.

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1. latortuga ◴[14 Nov 24 17:28 UTC] No.42138644[source]▶
Louder for the people in the back. I've had this notion for quite a long time that "tech debt" is just another way to say "this code does things in ways I don't like". This is so well said, thank you!
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2. genidoi ◴[14 Nov 24 18:19 UTC] No.42139324[source]▶
There is a difference between "this code does things in ways I don't like" and "this code does things in ways nobody likes"