Chesterton's Fence - Why You Should Think Twice Before Rewriting That Project

This episode explores the concept of Chesterton's fence, a principle that advises against removing or altering something without first understanding its original purpose.• Understand the core message of Chesterton's fence: before getting rid of an existing system, process, or code, take the time to understand why it was put there in the first place.• Learn about the common thought process that leads to wanting to remove things without understanding them ("Why on earth would anyone ever do it this way?").• Discover the parable of Chesterton's fence: the more intelligent reformer questions the removal of a fence until its use is understood.• See an analogy in code review where a senior engineer might question the removal of code or tests without understanding their purpose.• Understand the cognitive bias of illusory superiority and the Dunning-Kruger effect, which can lead to overestimating one's own abilities and underestimating the reasoning behind existing systems.• Recognise the mistake of assuming that predecessors were incompetent and that their work was done in error.• Appreciate the importance of adopting a curious mindset and trying to understand the original reasons behind existing practices.• Understand that Chesterton's fence is not a justification for never changing anything, but a caution against recklessness and the importance of being informed.• Learn that even when deciding to remove something, understanding its purpose can lead to better decisions and improvements in the future (e.g., replacing an old test with a better one).• Realise the value of learning from the experiences and reasoning of those who came before.📮 Ask a QuestionIf you enjoyed this episode and would like me to discuss a question that you have on the show, drop it over at: developertea.com.📮 Join the DiscordIf you want to be a part of a supportive community of engineers (non-engineers welcome!) working to improve their lives and careers, join us on the Developer Tea Discord community by visiting https://developertea.com/discord today!🧡 Leave a ReviewIf you're enjoying the show and want to support the content head over to iTunes and leave a review! It helps other developers discover the show and keep us focused on what matters to you.

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