Robotics Software Design Principles

Why Robotics Software Is Different

Robotics code operates under constraints that most software never faces:

1. Physical consequences — A bug doesn't just crash a process, it crashes a robot into a wall
2. Real-time deadlines — Missing a 1ms control loop deadline can cause oscillation or damage
3. Sensor uncertainty — All inputs are noisy, delayed, and occasionally wrong
4. Hardware diversity — Same algorithm must work on 10 different grippers from 5 vendors
5. Sim-to-real gap — Code must run identically in simulation and on real hardware
6. Long-running operation — Robots run for hours/days; memory leaks and drift matter
7. Safety criticality — Some failures must NEVER happen, regardless of software state

These constraints demand disciplined design. Below are principles that account for them.

Principle 1: Single Responsibility — One Module, One Job