Technical Debt: When to Pay It vs. When to Ignore It
Tech debt is a loan. You take it out to ship faster today. You must pay it back later with interest (bugs/slowness). Don't default on the loan.
What is Prudent vs. Reckless Debt?
Prudent vs. Reckless Debt is Prudent: "We are hardcoding this setting to launch today, we will fix it next week." Reckless: "We aren't writing tests ever."
The 3 Core Benefits
Speed to Market
Accepting some debt allows you to beat competitors. If you wait for "Perfect," you miss the market window.
Validation First
Why write perfect code for a feature nobody uses? Ship "Spaghetti code" first. If users love it, THEN refactor it.
Talent Retention
Good engineers hate working in a messy codebase. Paying down debt keeps your developers happy and productive.
Debt Management Plan
The 20% Rule
Allocate 20% of every sprint to "Chores" (Refactoring, Updates). Validates that you are paying interest regularly.
Boy Scout Rule
"Leave the campground cleaner than you found it." If you touch a file, fix one small thing in it.
Refactor Critical Paths
The "Checkout Flow" must be perfect. The "Settings Page" can be trash. Prioritize quality where money is made.
Document the Hacks
Add comments: // TODO: This is a hack because of X. Fix it by doing Y. This helps the next person.
Code Review Culture
Use code reviews to catch "reckless" debt. "Why are we hardcoding this?" "Because launch is tomorrow." "Okay, but add a ticket to fix it."
Code Perfectionist vs. Pragmatic Founder
| Feature | Code Perfectionist | Pragmatic Founder |
|---|---|---|
| Launch | Never | Yesterday |
| Bugs | Zero (Theoretical) | Managed |
| Success | Academic | Commercial |
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I rewrite from scratch?
NO. The "Big Rewrite" kills companies. (Netscape Example). Refactor incrementally. Never stop shipping features.
Do I need 100% test coverage?
No. 100% is vanity. Aim for 70-80%. Test the business logic, not the UI colors.
What is "Spaghetti Code"?
Code that is tangled and hard to follow. It happens when you patch things without a plan. Avoid it by having modular design.
What makes a launch channel high intent?
High-intent channels have users actively searching for solutions, not just browsing a feed.
How many channels should I launch on?
Start with 3-5 strong channels, measure conversions, then expand to 10-12 over time.
How do I avoid launch fatigue?
Stagger your launches and reuse assets so each channel gets a focused push.
What should I measure after launch?
Track qualified signups, backlinks, and demo requests, not just raw traffic.
How does Mesh of Growth fit with other platforms?
Use Mesh for compounding reviews and backlinks while other platforms provide short-term spikes.
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