YAGNI — You Aren't Gonna Need It
Definition: Principle that says don't build features until they're actually required. YAGNI is the antidote to speculative generality — most "we might need this someday" code never gets used.
Example
In engineering planning, you'll often hear something like: "Let's pull the latest YAGNI numbers before we make a call" — shorthand for you aren't gonna need it.
When you'll hear it
YAGNI shows up most often in engineering planning, architecture reviews, and sprint retrospectives. When someone uses it, they're usually referring to you aren't gonna need it — and they expect the room to already know what that means.
FAQs
What does YAGNI stand for?
YAGNI stands for You Aren't Gonna Need It.
What does YAGNI mean in technology and engineering?
Principle that says don't build features until they're actually required. YAGNI is the antidote to speculative generality — most "we might need this someday" code never gets used.
Where will I hear YAGNI used at work?
YAGNI comes up most often in engineering planning, architecture reviews, and sprint retrospectives. It's used as shorthand for you aren't gonna need it, so people assume you already know the term.