I'll Be Backend
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Principles

YAGNI: Delete Speculative Options

YAGNI, you aren't gonna need it, means building a feature when someone needs it and not before. A speculative option is a setting built for a need nobody has yet, and every one of them makes the next change touch code nothing runs. These lessons take a nightly order export with format, delimiter and header settings, delete the options nobody uses one small refactoring at a time, and turn a new column into a two-line change.

Pick your language

YAGNI: delete speculative options in Java, step 2: One column, four editsJava · ~5 minYAGNI in JavaYAGNI: delete speculative options in C++, step 2: One column, four editsC++ · ~5 minYAGNI in C++YAGNI: delete speculative options in Python, step 2: One column, four editsPython · ~5 minYAGNI in PythonYAGNI: delete speculative options in PHP, step 2: One column, four editsPHP · ~5 minYAGNI in PHP

When to use it

Use it when

An option has one value in the config and no caller uses the other branches.

Skip it when

A second user is real and dated, like a signed contract for a JSON partner, or ops change the value per environment.

Spot it by

Config values that never change, switch cases no caller reaches, defaults no caller overrides.