Simplify! 10 ways to reduce complexity in software development - Uwe Friedrichsen | code.talks 2025

Uwe Friedrichsen presents a talk about the necessity of simplification in IT, distinguishing between essential and accidental complexity. He argues that IT has become indispensable but is drowning in complexity, leading to a situation where systems are difficult to manage and change. Uwe suggests that companies often add more complexity instead of simplifying, likening the situation to Wile E. Coyote about to fall off a cliff. He offers ten ideas on how to simplify, covering areas such as dealing with uncertainty, implementing feedback loops, avoiding hype-driven development, ensuring understandability, designing effective APIs, rethinking architecture, being cautious with distributed systems, controlling code proliferation, avoiding local optimizations, and overcoming complexity bias. The goal is to minimize accidental complexity while maximizing effectiveness, ultimately preventing IT systems from becoming unmanageable.