YAGNI
Technology & Computing abbreviation · Programming
| Stands for | You aren't gonna need it |
|---|---|
| Categories | Technology & Computing |
YAGNI stands for You aren't gonna need it, a programming abbreviation.
An Extreme Programming principle that developers should not add features or flexibility until they are actually needed, since predicted requirements often never arrive and unused code still has to be maintained.
Example: YAGNI; let's not build plugin support until a second customer asks for it.
Usage notes
Associated with Ron Jeffries and Kent Beck in the late 1990s. It does not forbid good design, only speculative features, and expects refactoring when real needs appear. Pronounced "YAG-nee" and often cited together with KISS and DRY in code reviews.
Related abbreviations
More programming abbreviations
- ABI – Application binary interface
- ADR – Architecture decision record
- ADT – Abstract data type
- AMQP – Advanced Message Queuing Protocol
- AOT – Ahead-of-time (compilation)
- API – Application programming interface
- ASCII – American Standard Code for Information Interchange
- AST – Abstract syntax tree
- awk – Aho, Weinberger and Kernighan
- Bash – Bourne Again Shell
- BASIC – Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code
- BDD – Behavior-driven development