» Glossary » Technical debt

«Shipping first time code is like going into debt. A little debt speeds development so long as it is paid back promptly with a rewrite. Objects make the cost of this transaction tolerable. The danger occurs when the debt is not repaid. Every minute spent on not-quite-right code counts as interest on that debt.»

More info:

• Refactoring
• WyCash Portfolio Management System – where the term was first coined.