From Chesterton's fence to Chesterton's gap

4 hours ago

Introduces Chesterton's fence: an idea urging understanding of the purpose behind existing structures before making changes.
Relates Chesterton's fence to programming: ignoring it can lead to production issues, but following it encourages empathy and learning.
Presents Chesterton's gap: a dynamic where people add unnecessary features or code without consulting maintainers.
Highlights the cost of creating code as nearly zero, leading to large, unsolicited PRs in open-source projects.
Emphasizes that while unsolicited additions may be well-built, they can be unnecessary or unwanted by project owners.
Advises asking why a feature wasn't added before implementing it, rather than assuming omission was an oversight.
Notes that maintenance burden is a key reason to avoid accepting large, unsolicited contributions.

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