Best Simple System for Now
Best Simple System for Now (BSSN) approach advocates for creating the simplest functional solution today and iterating when necessary. This method balances effectiveness with adaptability.
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In short
🚀 Over-engineering is a common pitfall in software development, where teams build overly complex systems too soon, anticipating future needs that may never arise. Instead, the
⚠️ Best Simple System for Now (BSSN) approach advocates for creating the simplest functional solution today and iterating when necessary. This method balances effectiveness with adaptability.
🔍 CUPID principles help maintain simplicity and ease of evolution. Systems should be Composable, follow the Unix philosophy, be Predictable, Idiomatic, and Domain-based.
✅ The benefits of BSSN include faster delivery, easier maintenance, and lower development risk. By keeping systems simple and modular, teams can adapt more effectively as requirements evolve.
How to avoid over-engineering
One of the biggest traps in software development is building systems that are too complex, too soon. We anticipate future needs, design for scale before it’s necessary, and end up with bloated, hard-to-maintain software.
But what if, instead, we focused on the simplest system that works today—and iterated as needed?
That’s exactly what Dan North’s Best Simple System for Now (BSSN) idea is about.
What is BSSN?
A good system should be:
✅ Best – It effectively meets current needs.
✅ Simple – It avoids unnecessary complexity.
✅ For Now – It solves today’s problems without over-anticipating future ones.
BSSN isn’t about cutting corners—it’s about building systems that are just enough for today, and designed to evolve when necessary.
The CUPID Principles for Simple, Maintainable Code
To achieve a Best Simple System for Now, your code should follow these principles:
🔹 Composable – Small, modular, reusable components.
🔹 Unix philosophy – Each part does one thing well.
🔹 Predictable – Code behaves consistently and is easy to reason about.
🔹 Idiomatic – Uses familiar conventions in the language and framework.
🔹 Domain-based – Aligned with real business or user needs.
If a system is built with these principles in mind, future changes will be easier—without requiring premature complexity.
Why Do Developers Resist Simplicity?
Many teams hesitate to follow BSSN because they fear:
❌ Rewriting code later – But rewriting is cheaper than maintaining unnecessary complexity.
❌ Scaling issues – Most applications never reach the scale that justifies over-engineering.
❌ Incomplete systems – A simple, working system today is better than a complex, unfinished one.
The Real Value of BSSN: Lower Risk, Higher Agility
Over-engineering makes software fragile, slow to change, and expensive to maintain.
Instead, BSSN optimizes for:
✔️ Faster delivery – Get value into users’ hands sooner.
✔️ Easier maintenance – A simpler codebase is easier to debug and extend.
✔️ Lower development risk – Less complexity means fewer unexpected failures.
In the end, the best system is the simplest one that works—until it doesn’t. Then, and only then, should you evolve it. This is also an additional reason to keep the system easy to change: you know it will change, you are just admitting it to yourself - this makes it easier to manage and meet this expectation over time.
Next time you're about to over-engineer a solution, ask yourself: What’s the Best Simple System for Now?
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