What is technical debt and should I worry about it?
Quick Answer
Technical debt is the future cost of shortcuts taken today. AI-generated code can accumulate it faster than you realise, but for MVPs, some debt is acceptable. Address it when it slows you down.
Full Explanation
Technical debt is a useful metaphor from software development:
What it means:
Just like financial debt, technical debt is borrowing from the future. Taking shortcuts now (duplicated code, messy architecture, skipped tests) saves time today but costs more to fix later.
How AI code accumulates debt:
- AI might generate working but inefficient solutions
- Similar features might be implemented inconsistently
- Code organisation may not scale well
- Edge cases might not be handled
- Security might not be hardened
When to worry about it:
Don't worry (yet) if:
- You're building an MVP
- You don't have product-market fit
- The app works and users are happy
- You're still iterating on core features
Start addressing it when:
- Adding features takes longer than it should
- The same bugs keep appearing
- You're scaling up seriously
- You're hiring developers who need to understand the code
Managing technical debt:
1. Track it: Note shortcuts you take intentionally 2. Prioritise ruthlessly: Only fix debt that's actively causing problems 3. Refactor incrementally: Fix debt as you work on related features 4. Get reviews: Occasional professional code review helps identify issues
The mistake to avoid: Spending months refactoring before you know if anyone wants your product. Some debt in an unvalidated product is fine-you might throw it away anyway.
Related Questions
Is the code AI generates actually good?
It's usually decent-following modern patterns and best practices for straightforward features. But it lacks the judgement of experienced developers for complex decisions and edge cases.
Is vibe coding just for MVPs or can I scale?
You can scale AI-built apps to significant user bases. However, high-scale applications usually require professional optimization and may need partial rewrites.
When should I hire a professional developer?
When you have validated demand and revenue, when you hit technical walls AI can't solve, or when security and reliability become critical. Don't hire too early-validate first.
Get Hands-On Answers at Buildday Melbourne
Stop reading about building apps and start actually building. Join our one-day workshop and get your questions answered while creating something real.
Related Questions
Is vibe coding just for MVPs or can I scale?
You can scale AI-built apps to significant user bases. However, high-scale applications usually require professional...
Is the code AI generates actually good?
It's usually decent-following modern patterns and best practices for straightforward features. But it lacks the...
When should I hire a professional developer?
When you have validated demand and revenue, when you hit technical walls AI can't solve, or when security and...
What happens when my AI-built app breaks?
You debug it the same way any app is debugged-error messages, testing, and iteration. AI tools can often help fix...
Can I hire someone to fix AI-generated code?
Yes, AI-generated code is regular code that any developer can work with. It's often cleaner than average because AI...
What are the security risks of AI-generated code?
AI code can have security vulnerabilities like any code. Common issues include improper input validation, weak...