Technical debt
Discover how to manage the technical debt of your web project and ensure your business's success through proactive maintenance and strategic redesign.
Technical debt may seem abstract, but its consequences are very real. If you have a website or an application, you are likely affected! Let's explore together why this phenomenon is dangerous and how to protect against it.
What is technical debt?
Technical debt is the accumulation of compromises or quick technical choices made at the beginning of a project, which end up costing dearly in the long run.
For example: choosing an unreliable tool, neglecting best practices, or ignoring certain updates can lead to unforeseen costs later.
Why do we accumulate technical debt?
- Initial budget constraints (small budget, quick solutions)
- Tight deadlines, pushing to prioritize speed over quality
- Lack of regular maintenance after launch
The real consequences of technical debt
Here are concrete examples of companies that have suffered heavy consequences due to their technical debt:
- Southwest Airlines: In 2022, nearly 17,000 flights canceled due to an outdated computer system.
- Equifax: A massive data breach in 2017, due to outdated software, costing hundreds of millions in repairs and fines.
- Twitter: In its early days, frequent outages due to under-scaled infrastructure drove away many users.
How to avoid technical debt?
Engage competent professionals from the start
- Opt from the outset for clean and scalable code.
- Anticipate future project needs to avoid unpleasant surprises.
Implement proactive maintenance
- Regularly conduct technical audits to anticipate potential issues.
- Allocate about 20% of development time to continuous improvement.
Choose a comprehensive solution including maintenance and evolution
- Avoid hidden costs by choosing an all-in-one offer (hosting, maintenance, regular updates).
When does a complete overhaul become essential?
An overhaul becomes necessary when:
- Maintenance costs too much or becomes ineffective.
- Your site no longer meets current expectations (features, performance, image).
This is what LinkedIn did in 2011, temporarily halting all development to start from a solid foundation, allowing them to be much faster in their deployments afterward.
And no-code, what about that?
Beware of no-code solutions: appealing at first, they can hide significant technical debt due to their lack of flexibility. We invite you to read our article dedicated to the pitfalls of no-code to better understand this phenomenon.
Conclusion: take control of your technical debt
Anticipating technical debt is investing in the sustainability of your business. With us, every website starts with almost no technical debt thanks to our proactive and evolving approach.
Contact us to learn more about our solutions tailored to your needs.
