42 lines of context

We often equate complexity with competence. If a file has 1,000 lines of code, it must be doing something incredibly important.

But the hardest part of software engineering isn't writing code—it's deleting it. The elegant answer is usually the one that achieves the exact same user outcome with 42 lines instead of 400.

Writing less code means:

• Fewer edge cases to test.
• Less cognitive load for the next engineer who reads it.
• A smaller bundle size.

Next time you are about to merge a massive refactor, ask yourself: What is the absolute minimum amount of code required to make this feature exist?