KISS Programming

In programming the acronym KISS will inevitably pop up. This stands for "Keep It Simple Stupid." It was introduced by the Navy in 1960 when they realized that the best systems are typically the simplest. For me, when programming, this is often associated with an "oh duh" moment when I realize I have over complicated a solution.

When things start to get overly complicated in your program think of this principle and ask yourself, "Am I making this more difficult than it needs to be?" If the answer is yes then you need to keep it simple stupid! See if by simplifying the software's architecture you can accomplish the same thing with less logic.

Keeping it simple (stupid) will make your code more efficient as well as easier and more fun to work with. If your boss thinks up some crazy complicated unnecessary system try reminding him or her of the KISS principle.