Dead Code and Sentimental Value: Why We Keep What We Should Delete
A strange thing happens in software teams: we often know some code should be deleted, but we leave it in. Sometimes it’s commented out, sometimes moved to a “backup” file, sometimes just left there quietly collecting dust. We tell ourselves it might be useful later — but deep down, we know it won’t. So why do we keep it? Not because it’s important, but because deleting it feels risky. What if it breaks something we’ve forgotten? What if it was written by someone senior? What if we just don’t fully understand it anymore? Sometimes it’s just easier to ignore it than to clean it up. ...