Keep it Simple, Stupid

Yes, I know it's overused, but it really can't be overstated. Many of today's common coding practices really boil down to the KISS principle. But, really what does that mean? I've noticed that the term simple means different things to different people. Here's what Merriam-Webster says: readily understood or performed

That's actually a pretty simple explanation. How does this apply to software development? Here's the bottom line: Design applications that are readily understood

In my years involved in development, a large amount of my time has been spent maintaining applications. Whether by my own machinations or that of others, I frequently see this seemingly easy rule violated, which just makes maintenance a pain in the butt chore.

In writing this blog, my primary goal is to rail against overly complex application design and to promote methodologies that will result in more maintainable code. This will make you, whoever maintains your code, and whoever is paying you much happier people. My main areas of focus will be on usage of the Java language and related frameworks, as well as principles of software construction in general.

In closing this first entry, here's a couple of books I would suggest that really address these topics:

• Code Complete: A Practical Handbook of Software Construction - Steven McConnell
• Refactoring: Improving the Design of Existing Code - Martin Fowler

In Code Complete, Steven McConnell repeatedly states that "Software's Primary Technical Imperative is managing complexity". To paraphrase: Keep It Simple, Stupid!