Senior engineers often write less code

Introduction

If code is a liability, the interesting skill is knowing what not to build. This essay looks at code review habits, deletion metrics, and how to advocate for a simpler design without gatekeeping.

Small things that compounded

Looking back over Technical Discussion work, the wins were unglamorous: a naming fix, a deleted config, a checklist nobody has had to edit since.

What made them stick

• They were owned by one person, not a committee.
• They shipped with a way to notice when they stopped working.
• They removed a decision instead of documenting one.

Steal this

Pick the irritation you have mentioned three times this month. That is your next project — it has already proven its staying power.

Closing

Big rewrites make better stories; small compounding makes better systems.