What Is Technical Debt and How to Manage It

Technical debt is an inevitable part of software development, often arising from the need to quickly deliver an MVP (Minimum Viable Product, here you can find more) while making compromises on code quality. This article explores what technical debt is, how to manage it effectively, and strategies to minimize its impact on your projects.

In software development, technical debt refers to the additional work or "cost" that arises from choosing quick, suboptimal solutions instead of more time-consuming, high-quality approaches. While it can be a strategic decision to accrue technical debt temporarily, failing to address it can lead to major issues, such as decreased system performance, higher development costs, and reduced overall product quality.

Common contributors to technical debt include:

• Non-standardized code
• Lack of documentation
• Insufficient testing
• Outdated technologies or libraries

Similar to financial debt, technical debt can be a necessary trade-off in certain situations, such as speeding up product launches or validating business hypotheses. The key is planning when and how to address these temporary solutions to prevent them from escalating into significant problems.

1. Thorough Planning. Strategic planning is essential. Define product requirements, system architecture, and coding standards before starting development. This reduces the chances of chaotic decisions and unnecessary complexity in the codebase.
2. Regular Code Refactoring. Refactoring is the process of improving existing code without changing its functionality. Allocate time in every sprint to optimize code structure. This helps reduce technical debt over the long term.
3. Invest in Automated Testing. Testing is crucial for maintaining a project’s health. Use automated tools to create unit tests, integration tests, and performance tests. This minimizes the risk of critical errors in the future.
4. Stay Up-to-Date with Technology. Keep your libraries, frameworks, and programming languages up-to-date. Regular updates prevent compatibility issues and provide access to new features and optimizations.
5. Implement Code Reviews. Code reviews identify potential issues before they’re integrated into the main project branch. They also promote adherence to quality standards and foster knowledge sharing among team members.

1. Identify and Prioritize Debt. Compile a list of known issues in your codebase, assess their impact, and prioritize tasks for addressing them.

2. Allocate Time. Include tasks related to technical debt, such as refactoring, writing tests, or updating libraries, in your sprint planning.

3. Use Metrics for Monitoring. Tools like SonarQube can help assess code quality and identify areas with high levels of technical debt.

4. Communicate with Stakeholders. Explain to stakeholders how technical debt affects development speed and costs. This fosters understanding and support for addressing it proactively.

Tatiana, Project Manager: “We once inherited a project from another team. In the first four months, instead of implementing new features, we had to focus on refactoring the foundational code because of accumulated technical debt. This not only slowed development but also caused numerous client complaints. Once we explained the importance of refactoring to the client, they understood its role in reducing risks and improving the product’s long-term quality.”

Alexander, Developer: “When I joined a new project, I found it riddled with technical debt. The code was tangled, documentation was almost non-existent, and every change took ages to implement. I spent significant time refactoring to make the code more readable and structured. It was a valuable experience that taught me the importance of minimizing technical debt to help new developers onboard quickly.”

Managing technical debt is an ongoing process that requires attention, planning, and investment. By taking a proactive approach, you can keep your project flexible, productive, and competitive. Remember: addressing technical debt today lays the groundwork for the future growth of your product.

The BuildApps team is here to assist with development, refactoring, and implementing best practices for your business. You can contact us using the link below! Consultation is free!