2 Fundamental ↑

No. 6 — Automate Repetitive Tasks

Never forget the unique ability of software to perfectly repeat a set of tasks as often as desired, without deviation or omission.

This is, of course, one of the the core value propositions of software, and so might be thought obvious.

This idea should be applied to the product being developed, to help the customers automate their work, but it can also be applied to the process being used, to help the developers lighten their load.

As technology advances, new frontiers often open up to this idea, as with the practice of treating Infrastructure as Code.

When software developers combine this idea with the idea to Use Things Already Known to Work, and then apply these ideas to their own tasks, it results in the principle Don’t repeat yourself, abbreviated as DRY.


Next: Use Things Already Known to Work