Why you should avoid the “just this once” code fixes.

Photo courtesy: Red Bull

Imagine flying in an airplane manufactured using the parts that are of subpar quality with little or no safety measures and run by people who don’t value life. Would you risk? Probably not. The aviation industry is for the disciplined, an industry where everything is ought to run like clockwork and making a mistake is not an option as they can be expensive or if not catastrophic. There is no room for mediocrity.

We all have certain principles and practices hardwired in our day-to-day activities which keeps us glued to deliver quality work. But then there are times we face adversities and can’t use the usual approaches to tackle the situation. While there are things going awry in your code and is evident that they could resurface and cause much severe impact in the future, applying a “just this once” fix so that it solves the problem momentarily, in a wider sense is foolishness. Anything that is short-lived is not a solution, it is just a quick-fix.

It might not appear to be deteriorating in the beginning, but by repeating the habit of “just this once” over and over again, we will be slapped with consequences that could have been avoided otherwise. Figuring out solutions or ideas that solves complex problems at toughest of times and produce high quality results comes with the cost of time and the prerequisites to cut down on time is expertise, dedication and passion.

Sometimes, it is alright to consume more time rather than taking the chances with the performance, quality and security. “Just this once” is one of the root causes that leads down to the mediocrity and is a route that we all should avoid at any cost.