Code Quote by John Carmack
“The important point is that the cost of adding a feature isn't just the time it takes to code it. The cost also includes the addition of an obstacle to future expansion. Sure, any given feature list can be implemented, given enough coding time. But in addition to coming out late, you will usually wind up with a codebase that is so fragile that new ideas that should be dead-simple wind up taking longer and longer to work into the tangled existing web. The trick is to pick the features that don't fight each other.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: GDC 2009, John Carmack on game development
Adding features incurs hidden costs beyond coding time, creating future obstacles and fragility in the codebase.
In simple terms: Features cost more than time, they hinder future growth.
Key Takeaway
Choose non‑conflicting features.
Themes
software design
technical debt
feature planning
Mood
pragmatic
analytical
Type
advice
technical
When to use this quote
- project planning
- software architecture
- product development
- team coordination
Key Concepts
modularity
architectural integrity
trade‑offs
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you evaluate long‑term impact of a feature?
- What processes prevent feature conflict?
A Different Perspective
Complex systems may still become tangled despite careful selection.
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