{"id":5185,"date":"2023-08-08T21:01:00","date_gmt":"2023-08-09T01:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/?p=5185"},"modified":"2023-11-08T21:05:37","modified_gmt":"2023-11-09T02:05:37","slug":"what-is-technical-debt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/what-is-technical-debt\/","title":{"rendered":"What is technical debt and how do you best manage&nbsp;it?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Ever built a house of cards? You start with a solid base, right? What happens if you keep stacking levels without paying attention to the structure? It starts wobbling. A slight breeze or an accidental touch could bring down your skyscraper card&nbsp;castle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now think about software&nbsp;development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the rush to deliver features fast and meet deadlines, teams often cut corners. That could include code quality, design or testing processes. It\u2019s like adding shaky levels to our card tower. This is what we call &#8216;technical&nbsp;debt&#8217;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While manageable at first glance, over time it becomes overwhelming. The weight of poor decisions threatens to collapse your entire project. Like that delicate house of&nbsp;cards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We&#8217;re about to explore what causes these coding debts and the different types they come&nbsp;in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Understanding technical debt<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Just like financial debt, technical debt is something you&#8217;d want to avoid. But what exactly is it in the context of software&nbsp;development?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/martinfowler.com\/bliki\/TechnicalDebt.html\">Technical debt<\/a> is the extra work that piles up when you take shortcuts. It&#8217;s common during initial development&nbsp;stages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Developers often take shortcuts to meet deadlines or to quickly fulfill requirements. At some point, that work needs to be&nbsp;completed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>A simple metaphor<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s compare taking shortcuts and quick fixes in coding to buying a house with a mortgage. You get the house now but pay for it over time with&nbsp;interest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Likewise, by taking shortcuts and quick fixes in coding you accumulate &#8216;debt&#8217;. It&#8217;s kind of like borrowing. This will need fixing later (repayment). Usually, at higher costs due to accrued complexities&nbsp;(interest).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>A deeper dive <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.codingthearchitecture.com\/presentations\/devoxxuk2016_technical_debt.pdf\">Ward Cunningham<\/a> coined the term &#8220;technical debt.&#8221; He used it as a metaphor to explain why faster isn&#8217;t always better in software&nbsp;development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<center><iframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/pqeJFYwnkjE?si=Bfu40TIMswR4V7o7\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" data-load-mode=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/center>\n\n\n\n<p>He explains how rushing through code or design can lead to suboptimal solutions. These eventually need refactoring, thus accumulating &#8216;debt&#8217; that needs paying back&nbsp;later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This concept serves as a critical reminder for teams about long-term thinking. Careful planning in the product development processes helps to avoid technical&nbsp;debt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Causes of technical debt<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Comparing technical debt to financial debt is an easy way to conceptualize it. Like buying a house on credit, sometimes you have to borrow to quickly deliver&nbsp;software.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are many reasons why you&#8217;d have to do&nbsp;that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first cause is <strong>business pressure<\/strong>. When you urgently need a new feature, developers might skip best practices. They often create quick-fix solutions. This approach can pile up &#8216;interest&#8217; that needs repayment&nbsp;later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Lack of process or documentation<\/strong> also contributes. Without clear guidelines or adequate documentation, teams may unintentionally add technical debt. Repeating past mistakes can quickly make technical debt pile&nbsp;up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An often overlooked source is <strong>necessary trade-offs<\/strong>. Sometimes creating an imperfect solution now allows for valuable learning and improvement later. But remember \u2013 this kind of strategic decision should be intentional and&nbsp;controlled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, low-quality code caused by <strong>lack of skill or understandin<\/strong>g is a factor. This highlights why ongoing developer education is so&nbsp;important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Type of technical debt<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Steve McConnell proposed two broad categories in 2017: intentional and unintentional technical debt. Intentional debt refers to strategic decisions made consciously. Unitentional debt results from subpar work or lack of&nbsp;foresight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<center><iframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/bXoJpKokijM?si=9M3rZpun8I-uHaKQ\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" data-load-mode=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/center>\n\n\n\n<p>Martin Fowler expanded on this by introducing his &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/martinfowler.com\/bliki\/TechnicalDebtQuadrant.html\">Technical Debt Quadrant<\/a>.&#8221; This further classifies technical debt. It looks at intent (deliberate or inadvertent) and context (prudent or reckless). This quadrant offers a more nuanced understanding but still leaves some aspects&nbsp;unaddressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"384\" data-src=\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/image-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5188 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 512px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 512\/384;\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Technical debt quadrant &#8211;<a href=\"https:\/\/martinfowler.com\/bliki\/TechnicalDebtQuadrant.html\"> Source &#8211; Martin Fowler<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The Software Engineering Institute&#8217;s paper on technical debt expanded even further. Published in 2014, <a href=\"https:\/\/resources.sei.cmu.edu\/library\/asset-view.cfm?assetid=44948\">Towards an Ontology of Terms on Technical Debt<\/a> explores 13 types of debt. Let&#8217;s look at them&nbsp;now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The 13 types of technical debt<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There are many types of debt you can rack up. Each type has its unique characteristics and&nbsp;challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Architecture&nbsp;debt<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This type occurs when system design principles are compromised for faster delivery. This leads to a poorly structured system that may be difficult to maintain or&nbsp;scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Build&nbsp;debt<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>This is a <\/strong>result of inadequate build and release processes. It often manifests as frequent integration issues and long deployment&nbsp;times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Code&nbsp;debt<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is when developers take shortcuts or use subpar coding practices. Usually, this is done to meet deadlines. Think of it as a hastily done DIY project; sure, you&#8217;ve got your shelf up quickly. But, the wonky alignment may cause issues down the&nbsp;line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Defect&nbsp;debt<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This arises when known defects aren&#8217;t addressed promptly due to other priorities. This causes an accumulation over&nbsp;time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Design&nbsp;debt<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Caused by compromising on user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design aspects. This can lead to lower customer satisfaction levels later&nbsp;on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Documentation&nbsp;debt<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lack of adequate documentation is an often overlooked type of debt. It makes it hard for team members or external contributors to understand how things work. This slows down progress in the long run. It happens when teams overlook creating comprehensive documentation for their software projects. This is akin to assembling IKEA furniture without a&nbsp;manual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Infrastructure&nbsp;debt<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This refers to poor decisions about infrastructure setup like servers or databases. It could affect performance and&nbsp;scalability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>People&nbsp;debt<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This refers to the lack of skilled personnel or inadequate training. It often leads to slower progress and lower quality&nbsp;output.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Process&nbsp;debt<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Inefficient processes that slow down development cycles and lead to wasted&nbsp;effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Requirement&nbsp;debt<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This arises when there&#8217;s a lack of clarity in requirements. It leads to wrong assumptions and&nbsp;rework.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Service&nbsp;debt<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This happens when third-party services used in your product are not managed properly. This often causes reliability&nbsp;issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Test&nbsp;debt<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Last but not least, there&#8217;s test debt. This is inadequate testing due to insufficient time or resources. Often it\u2019s the result of neglecting test automation. This can lead to longer testing cycles as the codebase grows. It&#8217;s akin to skipping vehicle inspections before a long road trip. It can lead you into uncharted territory with potential&nbsp;breakdowns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"max-width: 600px; margin: 0 auto;\"> <!--HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <span class=\"hs-cta-wrapper\" id=\"hs-cta-wrapper-e1d55d08-a2cf-44a3-a9a0-f3ca5ff21dfa\"> <span class=\"hs-cta-node hs-cta-e1d55d08-a2cf-44a3-a9a0-f3ca5ff21dfa\" id=\"hs-cta-e1d55d08-a2cf-44a3-a9a0-f3ca5ff21dfa\"> <!--[if lte IE 8]><div id=\"hs-cta-ie-element\"><\/div><![endif]--> <a href=\"https:\/\/cta-redirect.hubspot.com\/cta\/redirect\/5705808\/e1d55d08-a2cf-44a3-a9a0-f3ca5ff21dfa\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"hs-cta-img lazyload\" id=\"hs-cta-img-e1d55d08-a2cf-44a3-a9a0-f3ca5ff21dfa\" style=\"border-width:0px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/no-cache.hubspot.com\/cta\/default\/5705808\/e1d55d08-a2cf-44a3-a9a0-f3ca5ff21dfa.png\" alt=\"New call-to-action\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/> <\/a> <\/span> <script charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/js.hscta.net\/cta\/current.js\"><\/script> <script type=\"text\/javascript\"> hbspt.cta.load(5705808, 'e1d55d08-a2cf-44a3-a9a0-f3ca5ff21dfa', {\"useNewLoader\":\"true\",\"region\":\"na1\"}); <\/script> <\/span> <!-- end HubSpot Call-to-Action Code --> <\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Impact of technical debt<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Rushing software development might get your product to market faster. But just like monetary debts need to be repaid with interest over time, so does technical&nbsp;debt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The immediate impact is clear. You save time and resources in the short run by cutting corners or opting for quick-fix solutions. But, these savings come at a price later on when it&#8217;s time to pay back that&nbsp;&#8216;loan&#8217;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You may have an application running smoothly today. But, beneath the surface lies accumulated code issues waiting to explode tomorrow. And often, they&nbsp;will.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Neglected debt accumulates interest<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The more you neglect this technical debt, the higher &#8216;interest&#8217; piles up. It often decreases productivity and increases maintenance&nbsp;costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Decreased productivity over time<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Your team\u2019s efficiency can take a hit. Developers spend more time fixing bugs than working on new features or improvements. It also impacts morale; nobody enjoys slogging through messy code&nbsp;bases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Affect on product quality &amp; maintenance<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Technical debt directly impacts product quality. It can cause systems to become unstable, unreliable, difficult to maintain and extend. This not only affects your team&#8217;s productivity. It also hampers user experience, leading towards loss of&nbsp;customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Budgetary implications<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There are financial implications too. The time spent fixing issues arising from poor-quality code is costly. Instead, you could develop new features or improve existing ones. (like driving business growth for example). Managing technical debt effectively should be an integral part of budget&nbsp;planning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Influence on team morale<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Last but not least, technical debt can negatively impact team morale. Constantly fixing issues rather than working on new projects can be demotivating. It&#8217;s important to strike a balance between delivering fast and maintaining code&nbsp;quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Technical debt isn\u2019t necessarily bad<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Don&#8217;t view technical debt solely as something negative. Consider seeing it as an integral part of strategic decision-making within product development. When managed properly it allows you to push out new features faster. How do you manage it properly? Regular<a href=\"https:\/\/martinfowler.com\/bliki\/TechnicalDebtQuadrant.html\"> debt paydowns<\/a> are a great tactic. Sometimes that&#8217;s necessary to meet deadlines and immediate customer&nbsp;needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, is technical debt bad? The answer isn&#8217;t black or white. Like financial debt, it&#8217;s not inherently bad if managed wisely. But, don&#8217;t let it pile up without addressing the underlying issues. It could lead to serious problems down the&nbsp;line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Strategies for managing debt<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Addressing technical debt needs a well-thought-out strategy. It&#8217;s not about quick fixes, but steady and consistent&nbsp;efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Maintain good documentation<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Good documentation can save you from unnecessary confusion later on. It acts as a roadmap, letting developers know where potential issues might&nbsp;lie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Prioritize refactoring<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/refactoring.com\">Refactoring<\/a> should be an ongoing task in your project lifecycle. This involves rewriting parts of code to improve its quality without changing functionality. You nip the problem at its bud before it grows into unmanageable&nbsp;proportions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Incorporate code reviews<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Routine code reviews ensure that new changes don&#8217;t introduce more debts. They also help identify areas needing&nbsp;refactoring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Create a tech debt list<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A tech debt list gives an overview of all known debts in your project \u2013 big or small. You can use this list to plan and prioritize which debts need attention first. You should look at their impact on the broader product development&nbsp;process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Preventing technical debt<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To stop technical debt from piling up, a balanced approach to development is&nbsp;key.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first strategy is maintaining <strong>quality code&nbsp;practices<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/martinfowler.com\/books\/refactoring.html\">Martin Fowler&#8217;s principle of continuous refactoring<\/a> helps keep the code clean and manageable. Focus on consistently refining and improving your codebase. This prevents bad design decisions or quick fixes from accumulating into serious&nbsp;debt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Next comes <strong>Maintaining&nbsp;Documentation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Maintaining a clear understanding of the codebase is essential. Having it become muddled and opaque can be detrimental. Regularly updating documentation lets new team members get on board quickly. This prevents adding to your project\u2019s technical&nbsp;debt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Last but not least: <strong>Frequent&nbsp;Testing<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An effective testing framework plays a vital role in keeping technical debt at bay. Automated assessments furnish immediate info about what is successful. And more significantly, what&nbsp;isn&#8217;t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Balancing speed with quality<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In software development, there are times when speed takes precedence over quality. That\u2019s okay as long as it doesn\u2019t become&nbsp;habitual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Try to balance rapid delivery and high-quality output. It ensures that shortcuts taken today won&#8217;t lead to more time-consuming repairs&nbsp;tomorrow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Promoting collaboration between developers and product managers<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In managing tech-debt effectively, communication between developers and product managers is essential. Shared understanding of project goals minimizes chances for misunderstanding or oversights. These often lead to future problems. An ounce of prevention here saves pounds of cure&nbsp;later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Tools for identifying and managing technical debt<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s essential to have tools that can help spot and manage technical debt. Let&#8217;s look at some tools to help you identify and manage technical&nbsp;debt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sonarqube.org\">SonarQube<\/a> is a well-known static code analysis tool. It&#8217;s great at detecting potential issues like bugs or code smells. It lets developers see where their coding may lead to future&nbsp;problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another good tool is<a href=\"https:\/\/www.jetbrains.com\/resharper\"> ReSharper<\/a>. This handy tool highlights errors as you type and suggests quick fixes. You&#8217;ll catch those sneaky debts before they even become an&nbsp;issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then there\u2019s<a href=\"https:\/\/jfrog.com\/xray\"> JFrog Xray<\/a>. With deep recursive scanning, it gives visibility into your software components&#8217;&nbsp;vulnerabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With these weapons in hand, managing technical debt becomes less daunting. So give them a try. Your future self (and your product) will thank you for&nbsp;it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The role of team culture <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When it comes to managing technical debt, your team&#8217;s culture plays a significant&nbsp;role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First off, communication is key. A team that communicates effectively can better understand and tackle complex&nbsp;issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Atlassian suggests that open dialogue about coding and design decisions helps prevent misunderstandings. This helps avoid codebase&nbsp;complications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Nurturing an Agile mindset<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>An agile mindset goes hand-in-hand with reducing tech debt. This approach encourages continuous improvement which helps keep the code clean and&nbsp;maintainable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Promoting responsibility<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Taking responsibility for your work has a profound impact on managing technical debts. Make developers feel accountable for their codes&#8217; quality. They&#8217;ll be more likely to avoid shortcuts that may lead to problems down the&nbsp;line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Leveraging peer reviews<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A healthy peer review practice can catch potential issues early on. By constructively critiquing each other&#8217;s work, teams help each other deliver high-quality output. They also avoid costly future rework due<a href=\"https:\/\/smartbear.com\/learn\/code-review\/guide-to-code-review-process\"> to overlooked bugs or inefficient&nbsp;solutions<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Fostering learning opportunities<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Innovation often brings risks of accruing tech debts. But, by fostering learning opportunities, these challenges become stepping stones towards&nbsp;mastery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember \u2013 cultivating a supportive environment makes dealing with tech debts less&nbsp;daunting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>FAQs<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What is technical debt?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Technical debt is the future cost of reworking or fixing quick-and-dirty code solutions. These are often implemented for immediate progress. But, they eventually need to be&nbsp;addressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What is an example of technical debt?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>An example could be skipping code documentation to speed up delivery. This may lead to confusion and time wastage when others need to understand that code later&nbsp;on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Is technical debt good or bad?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In moderation, it&#8217;s not necessarily bad. Sometimes a project needs fast results. But if unchecked, it can become detrimental. It can impact productivity and cause major setbacks in the long&nbsp;run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why is technical debt a problem?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If can slow down teams, increase bug risks, and affect product quality over time. This ultimately makes further changes more expensive and&nbsp;complex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Wrapping it up<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>So, what is technical debt? It&#8217;s the shaky layers in your software project. Those quick fixes and cut corners that accumulate over&nbsp;time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We&#8217;ve dug into its causes, both intentional and unintentional. We&#8217;ve uncovered its types: code debt, design debt, documentation debt, and test&nbsp;debt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We learned how it impacts projects immediately and long-term. But we also explored ways to manage it with smart strategies and&nbsp;tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember \u2014 preventing technical debt starts at the team level. The culture you foster can make or break your efforts against this silent project&nbsp;killer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the end you need to actively work to reduce its effect on your&nbsp;product.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Explore what is technical debt, its impact on software projects, and learn effective strategies to manage it for a smoother development process.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":5186,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[366],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5185","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-glossary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What is technical debt and how do you best 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