Philosophy Quote by Tony Hoare
““There are two ways of constructing a piece of software: One is to make it so simple that there are obviously no errors, and the other is to make it so complicated that there are no obvious errors.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: ACM SIGPLAN, Tony Hoare, 1972
Software can be built either ultra‑simple with no hidden bugs, or ultra‑complex where bugs are hidden.
In simple terms: Simple code avoids obvious bugs; complex code hides them.
Key Takeaway
Prefer simplicity.
Themes
software engineering
design
quality
Mood
practical
reflective
Type
technical
advice
When to use this quote
- code reviews
- architecture decisions
- debugging sessions
Key Concepts
simplicity
complexity
error handling
Questions to Reflect On
- When is complexity justified?
- How to balance simplicity and features?
A Different Perspective
Simplicity may limit functionality.
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