Break Quote by Erich Gamma
“Since changing interfaces breaks clients you should consider them as immutable once you've published them.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Design Patterns, 1994
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.
