avoid-unnecessary-features-yagni

Summary

Do not implement features, abstractions, or extensibility points for hypothetical future use cases. Implement only what is needed to satisfy the current requirements.

Rationale

• Reduced Complexity: Unused code adds maintenance burden and cognitive load without providing value.
• Lower Cost: Implementing features that are never used is a waste of time and resources.
• Better Design: Designing for unknown future requirements often leads to wrong abstractions that are harder to refactor later than simple code.

Guidance

1. Just in Time: Implement features when you need them, not when you foresee them.
2. Remove Dead Code: If a feature is no longer used, remove it immediately.
3. Simple First: Choose the simplest solution that satisfies the current verification plan. Refactor later if requirements change.

Examples