Do we really have to repay all technical debt?
Technical debt is often compared to a loan. But unlike financial debt, the goal isn't always to erase it — it's to keep it under control.
1 min read
In software development, technical debt is often compared to a bank loan: you take a shortcut, deliberate or not, that lets you move faster and meet deadlines.
Manage rather than erase
Sometimes you take on this debt intentionally — to meet a tight deadline, for instance. But unlike financial debt, it isn’t always meant to disappear entirely. The point isn’t to erase it, but to manage it: identify its impacts, set priorities, and invest wisely in paying it down.
Managing technical debt is first and foremost a strategic choice, not a quest for absolute perfection. Imperfect code is acceptable — it’s part of the reality of any project.
Where to focus the effort
Where you really should invest, in my view, is in the data structure. Because one day, when another team rebuilds the system with new technologies, they’ll be grateful that this foundation is solid and well thought out.
The rest of the debt is negotiable. The foundation, far less so.