Applying Buddhist Principles to Software Development: Staying Present, Embracing Change, and Favoring Simplicity

A core Buddhist practice is staying in the present . In software development this translates to treating the current codebase snapshot as it is, while the developer’s goal is simply to satisfy the next immediate requirement.

1. Change is the only constant The only thing you can expect in software is change; that is why you exist in the codebase. Unchanged software is likely unused. Even legacy systems must be updated to reflect new business needs or runtime environments. Therefore code should be written so it can be easily modified, as every piece of software is the cumulative result of many small changes.

2. Do not work for a non‑existent future No one knows what the future holds. Projects may evolve or be cancelled due to shifting priorities. The author cites a recent commit labeled “temporary until X” from 2018 as an example of premature assumptions. Developers should avoid making future assumptions, refrain from premature optimization, and not build generic solutions for problems that may never arise.

Example dialogue: > Junior developer: “Why did you push code without abstraction? How will you change it later?” Senior developer: “I will change it when the need arises.”

At that moment the junior developer was inspired.

3. Implement the simplest solution for the problem at hand Because code will inevitably change, it should be as simple as possible now, since we cannot predict how requirements will evolve. Adding complexity is a bet on the future; simplicity does not mean slowness—computers are fast, and simple code that meets performance needs is ideal. When developers stop trying to make today’s solution fit unknown future scenarios, the solution naturally becomes simpler. Refactoring to simplify while still only satisfying today’s requirements is preferable to over‑engineering for speculative futures.

Unlike finance, writing code today for future use is not an investment but technical debt.

Original source: https://norikitech.com/posts/buddhist-coding/