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How to Reverse Software Entropy

Saleem Siddiqui | GOTO Chicago 2023

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Entropy is as much a phenomenon in software as it is in physics. Left to itself, software decays. Even if it's tended to by software people who care; unanticipated change in directions not originally foreseen or obsolescence of dependencies can cause software to rot. What can we do to stem this rot? In this talk, I'll explore some ways in which we can gradually improve the technical hygiene of the software we create. There may be no escaping laws of thermodynamics, however, we can take steps to contain and even reverse software entropy and make technical hygiene the norm.

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Transcript

Entropy is as much a phenomenon in software as it is in physics. Left to itself, software decays. Even if it's tended to by software people who care; unanticipated change in directions not originally foreseen or obsolescence of dependencies can cause software to rot.

What can we do to stem this rot?

In this talk, I'll explore some ways in which we can gradually improve the technical hygiene of the software we create. There may be no escaping laws of thermodynamics, however, we can take steps to contain and even reverse software entropy and make technical hygiene the norm.

About the speakers

Saleem Siddiqui

Saleem Siddiqui

Author of Learning Test-Driven Development and Director of Platform Architecture