Is code duplication always okay?

No — reserve for business logic across domains. Low-level pure functions? DRY them.

When should I abstract code instead?

Only if it's identical concepts (math, protocols) and changes rarely. Test the waters with three-plus dupes first.

Clean code evolves. Prioritize readability and loose coupling over zero duplication.

🧠 Engineering Culture

A PR halts. 'This duplicates that,' the reviewer snaps. But what if duplication is the hero, not the villain?

theAIcatchup Apr 10, 2026 3 min read

Embrace duplication in microservices for better readability and decoupling over fragile abstractions. 𝕏
Ditch the Rule of Three; wait for 5+ copies and confirm shared business concepts. 𝕏
DRY works for low-level utils, but business logic thrives on repetition to avoid deployment nightmares. 𝕏

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#DRY principle #code duplication #code reviews #microservices #microservices architecture

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Originally reported by dev.to