Not all technical debt is created equal. Here's the hierarchy: ⚠️
Type 1: Deliberate Debt (Strategic) • Conscious shortcuts to meet deadlines • Documented and planned for refactoring • Examples: Hardcoded configs, simplified algorithms • Risk Level: Low (if managed)
Type 2: Accidental Debt (Knowledge) • Mistakes from inexperience or changing requirements • Code that seemed right at the time • Examples: Wrong abstractions, outdated patterns • Risk Level: Medium
Type 3: Bit Rot Debt (Entropy) • Accumulated neglect over time • Dependencies become outdated • Knowledge gaps as people leave • Risk Level: HIGH - This kills startups
Why Type 3 is Deadly: 🔸 Security vulnerabilities in old dependencies 🔸 Can't hire senior developers (nobody wants to work on legacy mess) 🔸 Features take 10x longer to implement 🔸 Bugs multiply faster than you can fix them 🔸 Knowledge becomes tribal (bus factor = 1)
The Startup Death Spiral:
- Ship fast with Type 1 debt (good)
- Accumulate Type 2 debt (normal)
- Ignore Type 3 debt (fatal)
- Developers leave, taking knowledge
- New features become impossible
- Competition overtakes you
How to Prevent Type 3 Debt: • Allocate 20% time for maintenance • Update dependencies regularly • Document architectural decisions • Knowledge sharing sessions • Refactoring sprints every quarter
Red Flags You're in Danger: • "Only [person] knows how this works" • Dependencies >2 years old • Hotfixes become the norm • New features require full rewrites
The Technical Leader's Job: Make the invisible visible. Track and communicate technical debt like you track customer metrics.
Remember: Taking on debt isn't the problem. Not paying it back is.
What type of technical debt is haunting your codebase? 👻