You Aren’t Gonna Need It Principle (YAGNI) Explained in 100 Seconds

💡 What is You Aren’t Gonna Need It Principle (YAGNI)?

💡 YAGNI is a fundamental principle of software development that emphasizes simplicity and avoiding unnecessary work. It states:

"Always implement things when you actually need them, never when you just foresee that you need them."

🎯 Example

Imagine buying furniture for a new apartment. You get a bed, table, and chairs — the basics you need. But if you also buy a piano and a bookshelf when you don’t play or read much, you’re wasting space and money.

🌟 YAGNI Benefits

✅ Simpler, easier-to-maintain code
✅ Faster delivery by focusing on current needs
✅ Lower costs by avoiding wasted effort
✅ Lean, focused codebase with no unnecessary features

⚠️ YAGNI Violations

❌ Unused methods or classes built for future use.
❌ Complex abstractions with no immediate purpose.
❌ Extra configuration options that no one needs yet.

💡 Applying YAGNI

✅ Focus on current requirements: Avoid guessing future requirements
✅ Use refactoring: If new needs arise, refactor the code rather than over-engineering it upfront
✅ Practice simplicity: Avoid building frameworks or generalizations before they are necessary

📰 Others

Interested? 😃 Check out other posts from my programming principles series!

• Interface Segregation Principle (ISP)
• Liskov Substitution Principle (LSP) Explained in 100 Seconds
• KISS Design Principle Explained in 100 Seconds
• DRY Principle Explained in 100 Seconds
• "Tell, Don't Ask" Principle Explained in 100 Seconds
• Golang Dependency Injection - Just in 5 Minutes!

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