over-engineering
Needlessly elaborate design
Over-engineering is designing or building something with more complexity, features, or capability than necessary for its purpose.
The term implies wasted effort or resources: The bridge was so over-engineered it could support ten times the expected load.
In software, over-engineering often means adding abstraction layers or flexibility that no one will ever use: We just need a simple script—don't over-engineer it.
Compulsive pursuit of flawlessness
- overthinkingDwelling excessively on thoughts
- complexityState of being complicated
- simplicityLack of complexity
- eleganceRefined, graceful quality
pragmatism · overcomplication · unnecessary · excessive · bloat · inefficiency · waste · paralysis
Distilling to essential qualities
- refactoringCode improvement, same behavior
- microservicesDecomposed application architecture
- boilerplateStandardized reusable text
- frameworksFoundational organizational systems
scalability · architecture · modularity · inheritance · interfaces · KISS · gold-plating · complexity
Needless duplication
- tolerancesAllowable limits of variation
- specificationsStated requirements and parameters
- overbuiltConstructed beyond necessity
- componentsConstituent parts
mechanisms · contraption · gadgetry · machining · precision · calibration · overkill · overdesign
Federal space exploration bureau
- aerospaceAtmosphere plus outer void
- SwissOf a neutral alpine nation
- precisionAccuracy of measurement
- craftsmanshipSkill in making objects
thoroughness · overkill · stereotype · reputation · quality · reliability · bulletproof · overbuilt
perfectionism
Compulsive pursuit of flawlessness
- overthinkingDwelling excessively on thoughts
- complexityState of being complicated
- simplicityLack of complexity
elegance · pragmatism · overcomplication · unnecessary · excessive · bloat · inefficiency · waste · paralysis · bikeshedding
abstraction
Distilling to essential qualities
- refactoringCode improvement, same behavior
- microservicesDecomposed application architecture
- boilerplateStandardized reusable text
frameworks · scalability · architecture · modularity · inheritance · interfaces · KISS · gold-plating · complexity · codebase
redundancy
Needless duplication
- tolerancesAllowable limits of variation
- specificationsStated requirements and parameters
- overbuiltConstructed beyond necessity
components · mechanisms · contraption · gadgetry · machining · precision · calibration · overkill · overdesign · prototyping
NASA
Federal space exploration bureau
craftsmanship · thoroughness · overkill · stereotype · reputation · quality · reliability · bulletproof · overbuilt · tanks
- software developmentcoding, programming, bug, debug, debugging
- antipatternsspaghetti code, dead code, code smell, technical debt, cargo cult
- overthinkingoverthink, ruminate, obsess, brood, dwell
over-engineeringsimplicity
Lack of complexity
minimalism · KISS principle · elegance · streamlined design · parsimony
over-engineeringcutting corners
Reducing effort improperly
quick and dirty · bodging · jerry-rigging · minimum viable product · kludge
over-engineeringjust enough
cutting corners · minimum viable product · MVP · good enough · fit for purpose
over, engineer, engineering, engineered, engineers, overengineer, overengineered, engine, engines