Over Documentation vs Code As Documentation

Developers should be aware of Over Documentation to avoid its pitfalls, such as wasted time, outdated information, and reduced agility in projects meets developers should adopt code as documentation when working on projects where documentation often becomes outdated or when team collaboration requires immediate clarity in the codebase. Here's our take.

Over Documentation

Nice Pick

Developers should be aware of Over Documentation to avoid its pitfalls, such as wasted time, outdated information, and reduced agility in projects

Pros

• It is relevant in contexts where documentation requirements are poorly defined or teams prioritize documentation over iterative development, such as in overly bureaucratic environments or legacy systems with rigid processes
• Related to: agile-methodology, code-documentation

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

Code As Documentation

Developers should adopt Code As Documentation when working on projects where documentation often becomes outdated or when team collaboration requires immediate clarity in the codebase

Pros

• It is particularly useful in agile environments, open-source projects, and teams with high turnover, as it ensures that the code remains accessible and maintainable over time
• Related to: clean-code, code-review

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

Use Over Documentation if: You want it is relevant in contexts where documentation requirements are poorly defined or teams prioritize documentation over iterative development, such as in overly bureaucratic environments or legacy systems with rigid processes and can live with specific tradeoffs depend on your use case.

Use Code As Documentation if: You prioritize it is particularly useful in agile environments, open-source projects, and teams with high turnover, as it ensures that the code remains accessible and maintainable over time over what Over Documentation offers.

The Bottom Line

Over Documentation wins

Developers should be aware of Over Documentation to avoid its pitfalls, such as wasted time, outdated information, and reduced agility in projects