--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Prototype, then polish. Get it working…" description: "\"Prototype, then polish. Get it working before you optimize it\" — Eric S. Raymond" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d65/eric-s-raymond-5007_inspirational_prototype-then-polish-get-it-working-bef_3114189.png" --- # Prototype, then polish. Get it working before you optimize… ![“Prototype, then polish. Get it working before you optimize it” quote by Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d65/eric-s-raymond-5007_inspirational_prototype-then-polish-get-it-working-bef_3114189.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d65/eric-s-raymond-5007_inspirational_prototype-then-polish-get-it-working-bef_3114189.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d65/eric-s-raymond-5007_inspirational_prototype-then-polish-get-it-working-bef_3114189.png) > “Prototype, then polish. Get it working before you optimize it” [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. First build a functional prototype, then refine it; early working code guides effective optimization. **In simple terms:** Make it work before polishing. Key Takeaway Prioritize functionality, then improve. Themes software development productivity iteration Mood pragmatic technical Type process advice When to use this quote - startup MVP - software refactoring - hardware design Key Concepts prototyping optimization Questions to Reflect On - Is it better to prototype quickly or plan thoroughly? - When should optimization begin? A Different Perspective Rushing to polish can waste resources if fundamentals are flawed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Optimize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimize/) [Polish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polish/) [Polish Working](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polish-working-5446401/) [Prototype](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prototype/) [Prototype Polish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prototype-polish-5446399/) [Working Optimize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-optimize-5446400/) ## Related quotes > [Engineers love to optimize problems. Now I optimize logistical problems. I ask: 'What's the goal? What are our constraints? What is the optimal, elegant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruchi-sanghvi/engineers-love-to-optimize-problems-now-i-optimize-logistical/) [Ruchi Sanghvi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruchi-sanghvi/) > [We developed simple test tools to optimize imaging parameters. No company was interested in our idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cameron/we-developed-simple-test-tools-to-optimize-imaging-parameters-no/) [John Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cameron/) > [Don’t optimize for conversions, optimize for revenue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-patel/don-t-optimize-for-conversions-optimize-for-revenue/) [Neil Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-patel/) > [The communities and countries best at using energy to optimize a microclimate for human life are also the ones whose people have the longest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hadfield/the-communities-and-countries-best-at-using-energy-to-optimize-a/) [Chris Hadfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hadfield/) > [“You don't get any points in life for doing things the hard way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-fargo/you-don-t-get-any-points-in-life-for-doing-things-the-hard-way/) [Tim Fargo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-fargo/) > [“optimize websites for search engines, you can optimize your lives to grow and reach your maximum potential. There are so many research studies out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/optimize-websites-for-search-engines-you-can-optimize-your-lives-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“When you optimize your talents very well, you can pick money from people's pockets and nobody will ever get the guts to call you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/when-you-optimize-your-talents-very-well-you-can-pick-money-from/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“Dare to rise, when all voices behind you say you can’t get there, ignore them and move on… it’s not about the talents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/dare-to-rise-when-all-voices-behind-you-say-you-can-t-get-there/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Your genome sequence will become a vital part of your medical record, thereby providing critical information about how to optimize your wellness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-hood/your-genome-sequence-will-become-a-vital-part-of-your-medical-record/) [Leroy Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-hood/) > [To ask a country with 750 million people living on less than a dollar a day to optimize their development for the environment as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-p-m-barnett/to-ask-a-country-with-750-million-people-living-on-less-than-a-dollar/) [Thomas P.M. Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-p-m-barnett/) > [The problem is, education in America is sub-optimal because it is an impossible thing to optimize. It necessarily has to be local because different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-green/the-problem-is-education-in-america-is-sub-optimal-because-it-is-an/) [Hank Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-green/) > [If you optimize everything, you will always be unhappy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-knuth/if-you-optimize-everything-you-will-always-be-unhappy/) [Donald Knuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-knuth/) > [Breast cancer isn't one disease - it's probably four or five different types, and without knowing what type a person has, you can't optimize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-hood/breast-cancer-isn-t-one-disease-it-s-probably-four-or-five-different/) [Leroy Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-hood/) > [If you don't optimize for the consumer on the Internet, you're dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dara-khosrowshahi/if-you-don-t-optimize-for-the-consumer-on-the-internet-you-re-dead/) [Dara Khosrowshahi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dara-khosrowshahi/) > [Customers are now driven by trying to optimize value.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azim-premji/customers-are-now-driven-by-trying-to-optimize-value/) [Azim Premji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azim-premji/) ## More by Eric S. Raymond > [The Wesnoth devs are good but not exceptionally so, and we're weighed down by a crappy implementation language (C++). Nevertheless our productivity, in terms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/the-wesnoth-devs-are-good-but-not-exceptionally-so-and-we-re-weighed/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [“We’re proving not only that we can do better software, but that joy is an asset.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/we-re-proving-not-only-that-we-can-do-better-software-but-that-joy-is/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [The workstation-class machines built by Sun and others opened up new worlds for hackers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/the-workstation-class-machines-built-by-sun-and-others-opened-up-new/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [It is widely grokked that cats have the hacker nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/it-is-widely-grokked-that-cats-have-the-hacker-nature/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [“If (as is generally accepted) over 75% of a typical software project’s life-cycle costs will be in maintenance and debugging and extensions, then the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/if-as-is-generally-accepted-over-75-of-a-typical-software-project-s/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [The combination of threads, remote-procedure-call interfaces, and heavyweight object-oriented design is especially dangerous... if you are ever invited onto a project that is supposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/the-combination-of-threads-remote-procedure-call-interfaces-and/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [Lisp is worth learning for the profound enlightenment experience you will have when you finally get it; that experience will make you a better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/lisp-is-worth-learning-for-the-profound-enlightenment-experience-you/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [You cannot motivate the best people with money. Money is just a way to keep score. The best people in any field are motivated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/you-cannot-motivate-the-best-people-with-money-money-is-just-a-way-to/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [“The Linux world behaves in many respects like a free market or an ecology, a collection of selfish agents attempting to maximize utility which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/the-linux-world-behaves-in-many-respects-like-a-free-market-or-an/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [“The reason this is a serious issue is that both the pool of users and the pool of talent available to be recruited into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/the-reason-this-is-a-serious-issue-is-that-both-the-pool-of-users-and/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [A security system is only as secure as its secret. Beware of pseudo-secrets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/a-security-system-is-only-as-secure-as-its-secret-beware-of-pseudo/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [Today I am one of the senior technical cadre that makes the Internet work, and a core Linux and open-source developer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/today-i-am-one-of-the-senior-technical-cadre-that-makes-the-internet/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [“The behavior of retailers when a vendor folds is very revealing. It tells us that they know something the vendors don’t. What they know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/the-behavior-of-retailers-when-a-vendor-folds-is-very-revealing-it/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [The easiest programs to use are those which demand the least new learning from the user](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/the-easiest-programs-to-use-are-those-which-demand-the-least-new/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [“This is quite unlikely to happen to Linux,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/this-is-quite-unlikely-to-happen-to-linux/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) [Explore all 104 Eric S. Raymond quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) ## More Inspirational quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We talk to God--that is prayer; God talks to us--that is inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-emilie-cady/we-talk-to-god-that-is-prayer-god-talks-to-us-that-is-inspiration/) [H. Emilie Cady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-emilie-cady/) > [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [The man who can master his time can master nearly anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-man-who-can-master-his-time-can-master-nearly-anything/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Just understand that the good that you want is already here. All you have to do is get in harmony with it. And you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/just-understand-that-the-good-that-you-want-is-already-here-all-you/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/if-you-want-to-build-a-ship-don-t-drum-up-the-men-to-gather-wood/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Obviously, if you don't love life, you can't enjoy an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clark/obviously-if-you-don-t-love-life-you-can-t-enjoy-an-oyster/) [Eleanor Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clark/) > [It's not the method, it's the mindset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gilbert/it-s-not-the-method-it-s-the-mindset/) [Andy Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gilbert/) > [It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you got something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/it-s-a-hard-thing-to-describe-it-s-just-this-sense-that-you-got/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [Too much familiarity breeds contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/too-much-familiarity-breeds-contempt/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [We never really perceive what color is physically!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-albers/we-never-really-perceive-what-color-is-physically/) [Josef Albers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-albers/) > [Politics is not an issue whether you like or dislike , but every citizen must involve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khem-veasna/politics-is-not-an-issue-whether-you-like-or-dislike-but-every/) [Khem Veasna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khem-veasna/) > [God reveals Himself through surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-reveals-himself-through-surprises/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) [Browse all 114,561 Inspirational quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Prototype, then polish. 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