Prerequisite Quote by Edsger Dijkstra
“Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability.”
About This Quote
Source Book: "A Discipline of Programming", 1976
Reliability in systems requires simple designs; complexity breeds hidden flaws and unpredictability.
In simple terms: Simple designs are more reliable.
Key Takeaway
Strive for simplicity to ensure reliability.
Themes
engineering
reliability
simplicity
design
software development
Mood
analytical
pragmatic
thoughtful
Type
technical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- writing code
- architecting systems
- maintaining legacy software
- teaching programming
Key Concepts
complexity reduction
system robustness
principles of design
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you simplify without losing essential features?
- When does simplicity become a constraint?
A Different Perspective
Simplicity may limit functionality or innovation.
![“Please don't fall into the trap of believing that I am terribly dogmatical about [the goto statement]. I have the uncomfortable feeling that others are making a religion out of it, as if the conceptual problems of programming could be solved by a single trick, by a simple form of coding discipline!” quote by Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6ad/edsger-dijkstra-5102_believe_please-don-t-fall-into-the-trap-of-belie_167695.jpg)
