Skip to content

Get the weirdnesses into the data where you can manipulate…

“Get the weirdnesses into the data where you can manipulate them easily, and the regularity into the code because regular code is a lot easier to work with” quote by Brian Kernighan
Download Open image
“Get the weirdnesses into the data where you can manipulate them easily, and the regularity into the code because regular code is a lot easier to work with”

Brian Kernighan

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Separate irregular data handling from core logic to simplify programming and improve maintainability.

In simple terms: Keep data messy, code clean.

Key Takeaway

Isolate complexity in data, not code.

Themes

software design modularity maintainability

Mood

analytical practical

Type

instructional technical

When to use this quote

  • database design
  • API development
  • data pipelines

Key Concepts

separation of concerns data abstraction

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can you identify which parts belong in data versus code?
  • What tools help keep code simple?
A Different Perspective

If data becomes too irregular, code may still become complex.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

More by Brian Kernighan

Explore all 21 Brian Kernighan quotes

More Code quotes

Browse all 1,662 Code quotes