Partial Codebase Understanding Is a Feature, Not a Flaw, Argues Developer Essay

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A blog post published on DEV Community summarizes Sean Goedecke's 2025 essay defending partial understanding of large codebases. The piece challenges Peter Naur's classic 'Programming as Theory Building' argument, contending that full comprehension is only realistic for small codebases. The author outlines two reasons Naur's framework falls short and frames theory-building as just one of many valid programming values. The post also examines how large language models add both benefits and complications to this debate. The author, who works in data and automation and frequently inherits others' code, adds personal reflections on why partial understanding resonates with their day-to-day experience.

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