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One of the things I've been trying to do is look for…

“One of the things I've been trying to do is look for simpler or rules underpinning good or bad design. I think one of the most valuable rules is avoid duplication. "Once and only once" is the Extreme Programming phrase.” quote by Martin Fowler
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“One of the things I've been trying to do is look for simpler or rules underpinning good or bad design. I think one of the most valuable rules is avoid duplication. "Once and only once" is the Extreme Programming phrase.”

Martin Fowler

About This Quote

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

Simplify design by eliminating duplicate code; each piece should exist only once to improve maintainability.

In simple terms: Avoid duplicate code for cleaner design.

Key Takeaway

Apply "once and only once" rule.

Themes

software design maintainability simplicity

Mood

analytical practical

Type

principle advice

When to use this quote

  • code reviews
  • refactoring sessions
  • architecture planning
  • team guidelines

Key Concepts

code duplication extensibility

Questions to Reflect On

  • Where is duplication acceptable?
  • How to detect hidden duplication?
A Different Perspective

Complex systems may have unavoidable repetitions.

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