Why Developers Fall Into the Trap of Reinventing the Wheel Costing Themselves Time and Causing Undue Stress
We know not to reinvent the wheel, but avoiding doing it isn’t always easy.
This week I fell into the trap of reinventing the wheel when trying to code a feature.
I was trying to develop my schema for storing recurring events. Thinking my problem was unique, I felt I had to make my own format. I ignored all the other apps and file formats that already support storing recurring events.
I realized how easy it is to think our problems are unique and convince ourselves we need to invent a new solution.
Very few problems in programming haven’t already been solved.
We don’t need to figure out how to code most features cause someone has already put a similar solution out there.
Will writing an original solution for one feature add value to the project? We add value by solving a problem or providing entertainment in an entire program, not reinventing the wheel. The time we spend trying to invent our solutions is time we could have spent improving other areas.
