Programming Quote by Steve McConnell
““Favor read-time convenience to write-time convenience. Code””
About This Quote
Source Book: Code Complete, 2nd Edition, 2004
Prioritize making code easy to read over making it easy to write, because readability aids maintenance and collaboration.
In simple terms: Readability matters more than writing speed.
Key Takeaway
Write code that others can understand easily.
Themes
software development
code quality
maintainability
Mood
pragmatic
reflective
Type
advice
technical
When to use this quote
- code reviews
- team onboarding
- legacy system updates
- pair programming
Key Concepts
readability
human factors
technical debt
Questions to Reflect On
- How does readability affect long‑term project success?
- What trade‑offs are you willing to accept for faster writing?
A Different Perspective
Readable code may take longer to produce initially.
![“Indeed, the ratio of time spent reading versus writing is well over 10 to 1. We are constantly reading old code as part of the effort to write new code. ...[Therefore,] making it easy to read makes it easier to write.” quote by Robert C. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f53/robert-c-martin-18499_agile_indeed-the-ratio-of-time-spent-reading-v_2894634.jpg)
![“[...] you shouldn't be uneasy about any parts of the architecture. It shouldn't contain anything just to please the boss. It shouldn't contain anything that's hard for you to understand. You're the one who'll implement it; if it doesn't make sense to you, how can you implement it?” quote by Steve McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0a6/steve-mcconnell-11957_architecture_you-shouldn-t-be-uneasy-about-any-parts_574744.jpg)
