technical debt

[ˈtɛknɪkəl dɛt]
nounpl: technical debts
débito técnico
1. The implied cost of additional rework caused by choosing an easy solution now instead of using a better approach that would take longer
The team accumulated significant technical debt by using shortcuts in the codebase instead of following best practices.
O time acumulou um débito técnico significativo ao usar atalhos no código em vez de seguir as melhores práticas.
2. Poor quality code or architectural decisions that require future effort to fix or refactor
We need to address this technical debt before it becomes too expensive to maintain.
Precisamos resolver esse débito técnico antes que se torne muito caro mantê-lo.
3. The backlog of improvements, refactoring, and modernization work needed in a software system
Technical debt can slow down development velocity if not managed properly.
O débito técnico pode reduzir a velocidade de desenvolvimento se não for gerenciado adequadamente.
Technical debt is a metaphor coined by Ward Cunningham in 1992 that has become central to software development culture in both the USA and Brazil. It reflects the reality that rushing to deliver features often creates obligations for future maintenance work. In Brazilian tech companies, especially startups in São Paulo, managing technical debt is increasingly recognized as critical to long-term product success and team productivity.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
code debtdesign debtarchitectural debtlegacy code burden
Antonyms / Antônimos
clean codebest practicestechnical excellence

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
débito técnico
Standard term used in software development industry across Brazil
São Paulo
débito técnico
Commonly used in tech hubs and startup communities
Rio de Janeiro
débito técnico
Used in tech companies and development teams
Portugal
débito técnico
Same term used in Portuguese software development context

Related Words

refactoringcode qualitysoftware maintenanceagile developmentcontinuous improvementlegacy system

Related Idioms & Phrases

paying down technical debt
accumulating technical debt
technical debt crisis
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