- Longevity: Software should be written as robustly as possible to maximize longevity. Consider edge cases, test comprehensively, and use statically typed languages. Avoid dependencies that are complex or brittle.
- Maintainability: Use frameworks that will make software easily maintainable by developers who come after you. Development should only require a minimal toolchain, and one that’s demonstrated a good history of stability and support.
- Transparency: Write code simply and elegantly. Use abstractions, but don’t abstract so heavily as to obfuscate. It should be obvious how code works not only to you, but for any others who might read it in the future.
- Evolvability: It should be possible to improve software over time. A good compiler and test suite should let future developers who aren’t deeply familiar with the existing code make those improvements safely.
- Scalability: To ensure that production software will work properly, write an extensive test suite and deploy the prototype in high-fidelity pre-production environments before taking it live.
Source: brandur.org/10000-years
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