Principlev1PR-1096
Resist optimizing systems that have not yet generated enough
Resist optimizing systems that have not yet generated enough performance data to reveal their actual bottlenecks—premature optimization adds complexity to components that may not matter.
Why This Is a Principle
Derives from the principle that complex systems evolve from simple working systems (Complex systems that work evolved from simple systems…) and memory decay (Exponential Information Decay). You cannot remember what bottlenecks you've encountered without written records over time. The principle prescribes waiting for sufficient data before optimizing.