Kent Beck

First Work, Then Right, Finally Fast Software

Consider a small team adding refunds to an online shop. First, they implement a narrow path—submit request, validate, persist—with tests mirroring real cases, and a stubbed payment gateway to make it work. Next, they extract domain objects, name states explicitly, and simplify error handling to make it right, shrinking cognitive load. Finally, load tests reveal a bottleneck in inventory lookups; a read-through cache and batched queries make it fast. Because each step built on the last, the feature ships with confidence, clarity, and speed—exactly as Beck’s sequence intends. [...]

Balancing Optimism and Realism in Programming Practice

Ultimately, the interplay of optimism and feedback fosters a dynamic balance. While optimism motivates bold endeavors, regular feedback grounds progress in reality and drives improvement. In the end, the healthiest programming cultures are those that encourage ambition but continually subject ideas to scrutiny, ensuring that vision and verification advance hand in hand. [...]