If you’ve used an object‑oriented language for a while, you’ve probably run into the SOLID acronym. It’s a mnemonic for a set of principles that aren’t magic, but they consistently lead to code that’s sturdy, flexible and scalable. It’s code that’s easier to understand and therefore easier to change.
It might be an underappreciated quality, but I’d argue that “easier to change” is the most important quality of code for many of us, because most of what we do as developers is reading and changing code.
Even in the era of AI, this holds true. AI can generate a lot of code very quickly, but volume isn’t the same as design. Just like we get “AI slop” in text, we can get slop in code too. Or we can create code that’s solid (pun intended), and easier for a both AI and humans to understand, and easier for either to change.
Good design still matters, maybe more than ever, because it’s what lets a system grow without collapsing under its own weight.
Continue reading “SOLID Principles for Solid Code”