Post #3870117

2026-07-16 17:32 UTC

I'm not using third-party libraries because it takes too long to write all that code for myself. I'm using third-party libraries because I think the authors know something about the domains involved, and have reified their understanding in code. If there's no understanding to reify, then it's not useful to me.

Replies (4)

@owen@mastodon.transneptune.net 2026-07-16 17:35

(Incidentally, this also applies to things like editors and operating systems.)

Open ##4182600
@glyph@mastodon.social 2026-07-16 21:02

@owen@mastodon.transneptune.net when I commit code I am not just adding functionality I am immanentizing the eschaton

Open ##4182601
@thaodan@mastodon.social 2026-07-16 21:44

@owen@mastodon.transneptune.net I want to add: If you can don't bundle your dependencies. Write libraries using stable interfaces, don't target unstable library version as dependencies. Write software in a way that makes it possible to fix security issues in your applications dependencies without patching your application. If possible avoid downloading of dependencies during the build process. Applications shouldn't modify their sources at build time. Don't life patch applications.

Open ##4182602
@ultranurd@tacobelllabs.net 2026-07-16 22:25

@owen@mastodon.transneptune.net I think this fits a lot of my thinking around taking a dependency on another team/system at work; even if their setup doesn't quite fit my use case there's a good chance they've thought through (or been burned by) a bunch of edge cases outside of my domain

Open ##4182603