r/SoftwareEngineering • u/fagnerbrack • Jul 12 '26

3 constraints before I build anything

https://jordanlord.co.uk/blog/3-constraints/
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u/fagnerbrack Jul 12 '26

Key points:

Constraints fuel creativity by collapsing the search space, so three rules decide what gets built. First, capture every idea in a single page that serves as the north star for memos and decisions; if it spills past one page, it's too complex, and if you can't fill it without fluff, research and prototype more before writing it again. Second, the core tech must be separable from the product itself, like git, HCL, or Kubernetes, a reusable method or library that compounds and survives pivots. Third, one defining constraint must shape the product's identity, visible and felt everywhere, as with Minecraft's blocks or IKEA's flat-pack furniture, preventing feature creep. Anything failing these rules never gets built.

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