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Blog Post: Complexity #12

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@ -44,9 +44,9 @@ An antonym of complexity is [simplicity](https://www.thesaurus.com/browse/comple
* UNIX philosophy: "Make each program do one thing well." This can save software from becoming an indomitable mess. Constantly adding features to the same system will eventually make it collapse in on itself. * UNIX philosophy: "Make each program do one thing well." This can save software from becoming an indomitable mess. Constantly adding features to the same system will eventually make it collapse in on itself.
* Composition: Software should be composed of interchangeable modules. The boundaries between modules must be well-defined. Chess software should have 2 players, but those players do not need to be humans on a computer. By keeping the player module separate, it can be swapped for an AI player module. This enables better testing, and more interesting games. * Composition: Software should be composed of interchangeable modules. The boundaries between modules must be well-defined. Chess software should have 2 players, but those players do not need to be humans on a computer. By keeping the player module separate, it can be swapped for an AI player module. This enables better testing and more interesting games.
These principles are not easy to incorporate into an engineering process. There is both a science and an art aspect to designing and building something simply. Once a system becomes simple, the benefits become evident quickly. One important benefit for teams to think about is the number of engineers who can work on a project. If a system becomes a convoluted mess, usually only a couple people can work on it. A system designed well, especially using modularity, will increase the number of engineers who can work on it. Removing complexity requires both science and art. These principles are not straightforward to incorporate into an engineering process. Once a system becomes simple, the benefits become evident quickly. One important benefit for teams to think about is the number of engineers who can work on a project. If a system becomes a convoluted mess, usually only a couple people can work on it. A system designed well, especially using modularity, will increase the number of engineers who can work on it.
## Software Engineers Manage Complexity ## Software Engineers Manage Complexity
A programmer understands software languages and can program a computer to accomplish tasks. A software engineer will do the same, with the addition of minimizing the program's complexity. In fact the act of minimizing the complexity takes up most of the engineer's time. Many other tasks such as designing, testing, documenting, refactoring, and reviewing code are much more time intensive -- and important -- than the actual programming. A programmer understands software languages and can program a computer to accomplish tasks. A software engineer will do the same, with the addition of minimizing the program's complexity. In fact the act of minimizing the complexity takes up most of the engineer's time. Many other tasks such as designing, testing, documenting, refactoring, and reviewing code are much more time intensive -- and important -- than the actual programming.