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Since changing interfaces breaks clients you should…

“Since changing interfaces breaks clients you should consider them as immutable once you've published them.” quote by Erich Gamma
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“Since changing interfaces breaks clients you should consider them as immutable once you've published them.”

Erich Gamma

About This Quote

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

Treating published interfaces as immutable prevents breaking dependent systems and ensures stability.

In simple terms: Don't change published APIs.

Key Takeaway

Design stable, versioned interfaces.

Themes

software engineering stability API design maintenance versioning

Mood

pragmatic technical

Type

prescriptive analytical

When to use this quote

  • API development
  • software release
  • client integration
  • system upgrades

Key Concepts

software architecture contractual integrity dependency management

Questions to Reflect On

  • When should an API be deprecated?
  • How to balance stability with innovation?
A Different Perspective

Immutable interfaces can hinder necessary evolution and may cause technical debt.

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