I've wasted countless hours through the years on slow feedback loops
I've wasted countless hours through the years on slow feedback loops. Over time, I learned: If the feedback loop is slow, job #1 is to ask: Is there a way to make the feedback loop fast?
Fast feedback loops lower stress, aid focus, foster creativity, and reduce risk.
Practices that foster fast feedback loops:
- Build in isolation (build outside the monolith, then inject at the end)
- Call local, mock data structures
- Create "throwaway" branches for experiments
- Experiment in a REPL
- Prototype
- Create a minimum viable product
My desire for fast feedback loops led me to specialize in JavaScript. I can easily code in isolation, I have full control over my dev environment, and I can typically instantly see the results upon save.