The Best Code is the Code You Delete (TLP 2026w4)
Wed Feb 04 2026
In this episode, I dive into why the most radical act in modern engineering isn't adding more features, but having the courage to take them away. I explore the philosophy of reduction: from the logical foundations of Occam’s Razor to the biological realities of Cognitive Load, to show you why simple systems are inherently more reliable and sustainable. I’ll break down the mathematics of risk in complex processes and share how you can use First Principles Thinking to strip your codebase and workflows down to their "functional marrow."
Whether you're an architect, a developer, or a team lead, join me as I discuss why the most mature move you can make is often deleting the code you never should have written in the first place.
Key concepts covered:
Occam’s Razor: Choosing the solution with the fewest assumptions.
Cognitive Load Theory: Designing for the limits of human working memory.
First Principles: Deconstructing problems to their fundamental truths.
Serial System Reliability: Understanding how every additional step increases the probability of failure.
Scoring Framework: How to objectively grade answers from 1-5 to ensure a cultural and behavioural fit.
Show notes are here: https://techleader.pro/a/724-The-Best-Code-is-the-Code-You-Delete-(TLP-2026w4)
Keywords:
Software Engineering, Clean Code, System Architecture, Occam's Razor, First Principles Thinking, Cognitive Load Theory, Software Design Patterns, Coding Best Practices, Reducing Technical Debt, Engineering Leadership, Process Optimization, Reliability Engineering, Programming Philosophy, Minimalism in Code, Developer Productivity.
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In this episode, I dive into why the most radical act in modern engineering isn't adding more features, but having the courage to take them away. I explore the philosophy of reduction: from the logical foundations of Occam’s Razor to the biological realities of Cognitive Load, to show you why simple systems are inherently more reliable and sustainable. I’ll break down the mathematics of risk in complex processes and share how you can use First Principles Thinking to strip your codebase and workflows down to their "functional marrow." Whether you're an architect, a developer, or a team lead, join me as I discuss why the most mature move you can make is often deleting the code you never should have written in the first place. Key concepts covered: Occam’s Razor: Choosing the solution with the fewest assumptions. Cognitive Load Theory: Designing for the limits of human working memory. First Principles: Deconstructing problems to their fundamental truths. Serial System Reliability: Understanding how every additional step increases the probability of failure. Scoring Framework: How to objectively grade answers from 1-5 to ensure a cultural and behavioural fit. Show notes are here: https://techleader.pro/a/724-The-Best-Code-is-the-Code-You-Delete-(TLP-2026w4) Keywords: Software Engineering, Clean Code, System Architecture, Occam's Razor, First Principles Thinking, Cognitive Load Theory, Software Design Patterns, Coding Best Practices, Reducing Technical Debt, Engineering Leadership, Process Optimization, Reliability Engineering, Programming Philosophy, Minimalism in Code, Developer Productivity.