When not to DRY

Why duplicating code can sometimes be the better option

So, you've probably heard the old saying in coding circles: "Don't Repeat Yourself" (or DRY, for short). It's one of the the golden rules for programmers, a principle to live and die by. It tells us to avoid writing the same bit of code more than once to keep our projects neat and manageable. But what if I told you that breaking this rule is not just okay; it might actually be the smarter move.

Let's dive into a few situations where duplicating code doesn’t just get a pass—it might even be your best option.

Exploration stage

When you're just starting out on a new project, things are all about trying stuff out and seeing what sticks. If you spend all your time trying to make every piece of code perfectly reusable, you're going to slow yourself down. Early on, it's totally fine to have some duplicates lying around. It gives you the freedom to experiment without tangling everything up. Plus, what looks like a repeat today probably will get swapped for something else.

Abstraction hell

Condensing 100 lines of code into 10 lines gives us such a buzz and makes us feel invincible. But in the process of making everything super abstract a lot of the times you end up with something so complicated that you can't even understand it yourself. If making your code DRY means twisting it into a pretzel of complexity, a little repetition is the lesser evil. Especially for bits of code that look similar but have their own quirks—forcing them into one box can make things messy and confusing.

Speed Over Sleekness

In the world of coding, sometimes fast is more important than fancy. For parts of your project where every millisecond counts, duplicating some code to squeeze out extra performance is totally worth it. This is especially true in systems where speed is the name of the game, and a bit of repetition can give you that extra edge.

Guarding Against the Unknown

Relying on external libraries or services can be a bit like building on quicksand—they can change or vanish under your feet. Copying the bits you need into your own codebase can save you from a headache later if those external pieces start to shift. It's like a little insurance policy to keep your project stable even when the outside world is anything but.

Wrapping Up

So, while sticking to the DRY principle is generally a good idea, there are times when being a bit of a rule-breaker can actually work in your favour. Whether it's making your life easier in the early stages of development, avoiding unnecessary complexity, boosting performance, or insulating yourself from changes, there are plenty of valid reasons to duplicate code on purpose. Like with most things in coding, it's all about picking the right tool for the job—and sometimes, that tool is Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V.