Deeper in Debt

Every time I need to take on technical debt in a project, I can’t help but think of my real-life experience with financial debt—and how I try to avoid credit of any kind. Whenever a bank encourages me to take on “healthy debt” just because I owe nothing, I have to laugh quietly to myself. It feels like being told a couple of glasses of wine are good for me.

More than 20 years ago, a younger, more naïve version of me got one of those revolving credit cards. It let me buy a computer, a game console, and a handful of luxuries I couldn’t afford at the time. In some ways, it was a blessing—but at what cost? I spent years making monthly payments, mostly on interest, until I finally earned enough to clear the debt in one go.

Technical debt feels a lot like that: a revolving card that keeps letting you pile more on while you struggle to pay off the balance you already have. It becomes chronic. And acquiring “healthy” debt takes knowledge, discipline, and serious self-control.

Just like offering a drink to an alcoholic or a bet to a gambler, it’s easy to fall into the trap. In a way, all developers are potential debt addicts, always one decision away from compounding the problem.

That’s why I try to manage technical debt with the same strictness I apply to my personal finances. It’s not always easy, but here are some principles I follow:

• I try to "pay in full" whenever the cost is reasonable—that is, writing clean code without deferring problems.

• If I must take on debt, I aim for small, well-defined "installments" and avoid paying “interest” in the form of chaos.

• For major investments—big features or architectural changes—I study the situation carefully and only move forward when it’s truly necessary.

Of course, there's an argument to be made for not “decapitalizing” ourselves: spending too much time making perfect code that gives little return. Often, “good enough” is the wiser, more efficient choice. Accepting a bit of technical debt is part of being pragmatic.

So, as much as it pains me, I’ve come to accept the truth: we’re all living in technical debt. The key is to avoid drowning in it.

exit(0);