Adherence
Adherence refers to the practice of consistently following established processes, standards, or guidelines in software development, such as coding conventions, security protocols, or project management frameworks. It ensures quality, maintainability, and reliability by minimizing deviations that could lead to errors or inefficiencies. This concept is crucial in team-based environments where uniformity and predictability are needed for collaboration and long-term project success.
Developers should prioritize adherence when working in regulated industries (e.g., healthcare, finance) where compliance with standards like HIPAA or PCI-DSS is mandatory, or in large-scale projects using methodologies like Agile or DevOps to maintain consistency. It reduces technical debt, improves code reviews, and facilitates onboarding by creating a predictable codebase, making it essential for teams aiming for high-quality, scalable software.