Skip to content
TopicTracker
From HackerNewsView original
TranslationTranslation

Start with Ugly Code – DevelClan

The article advises developers to prioritize writing functional code over perfect code, arguing that starting with "ugly" code allows for faster iteration, learning, and eventual refinement rather than getting stuck trying to make code ideal from the outset.

Background

- The article argues that beginners and early-stage projects should fight the urge to write "perfect" code from day one, and instead focus on getting something working—even if it's messy or "ugly." - It pushes back against the clean-code / best-practices-obsessed culture common in software engineering, where novices spend hours refactoring before they even know whether their idea works. - The core insight: ugly, working code teaches you what the problem actually is; beautiful, unfinished code teaches you nothing. Premature optimization and abstraction are forms of procrastination. - This is part of a broader "just ship it" philosophy popular in startup and indie-hacker circles, often contrasted with enterprise engineering norms.

Related stories