In Software, Delivery Is Just the Beginning
Embracing Entropy in Software Systems
Too often in software development, we treat the delivery date like the finish line. We rush to hit deadlines, celebrate shipping a new feature, and breathe a sigh of relief once it’s live. But here’s the truth: delivery is just the beginning.
The moment we ship something is the moment it enters the real world. And in the real world, everything is subject to decay.
Entropy: The Inevitable Decline into Disorder
There’s a principle in thermodynamics called entropy, the idea that all systems tend toward disorder over time. Coffee cools. Sandcastles crumble. Weeds overtake gardens. Our bodies are constantly declining unless we actively care for them.
It’s not the most uplifting message, I know. But here’s the hopeful twist: once we accept that entropy is inevitable, we can plan for it. We eat well, exercise, and go for check-ups, not to stop aging, but to manage it. The same mindset applies to software.
Software Is a Living, Decaying System
Software is not static. We increase complexity whenever we ship a new feature, fix a bug, or add a quick workaround. Bit by bit, entropy creeps in.
And the higher the degree of entropy a system has, the harder it becomes to manage. High-entropy systems are chaotic. They’re harder to debug, harder to change, and more expensive to maintain. That’s why it’s critical to build with maintenance in mind from day one.
Low-Entropy Systems Are Easier to Sustain
It’s far easier to keep a system clean and maintainable if you start early. Teams prioritizing sustainability during development make smarter trade-offs, detect issues faster, and reduce firefighting later on. Here’s how you can keep entropy in check:
Scaffolding for Long-Term Sustainability
Start by creating a culture that embraces maintainability as part of the definition of done. Here are concrete actions your team can take before going live:
Define a maintenance owner. Make sure each new feature has a clear post-release owner or team responsible for upkeep.
Create a plan for known issues. Document open bugs you’re shipping with and include them in upcoming sprint planning.
Set up robust monitoring. Implement observability tools and ensure alerting is configured for the right people.
Establish a post-release checklist. Include steps for validation, monitoring, communication, and follow-ups.
Define incident response protocols. Make sure the team knows how to react if something goes wrong.
These actions shift the focus from shipping fast to shipping sustainably.
Shipping Shouldn't Mean Slipping Into Chaos
We all love the dopamine hit of shipping. But if we don’t pair that with intentionality about what comes after, our systems and teams pay the price.
Sustainable software practices are not about slowing down or adding red tape. They’re about shifting the mindset from “just ship it” to “what happens after we ship.” Delivery is an important milestone, but it’s not the finish line. It’s the point where real users start interacting with your product, where bugs emerge, feedback rolls in, and the cost of quick fixes starts to surface. Teams that embrace sustainability understand that the work doesn’t stop at release; it evolves. Building with maintenance, monitoring, and long-term health in mind ensures that you can move fast and keep moving, without burning out your team or breaking your system. And it takes less time than most think.
Let’s Redefine What “Done” Really Means
Done isn't just "it's live." Done means the team understands how to maintain what’s been built. It means monitoring is in place. It means there's a plan for bugs, tech debt, and user feedback.
Entropy is inevitable, but high-entropy is not.
🚨 Signs Your System Is Sliding Into High Entropy
Not sure if your team is dealing with a high-entropy system? Here are a few red flags to watch for:
Onboarding takes forever. If new engineers need weeks just to get a local environment running or understand the codebase, that’s a sign the system is too complex or poorly documented.
Fixing one thing breaks three others. Fragile systems lack clear boundaries and test coverage. When small changes cause widespread breakages, it’s entropy at work.
Recurring bugs keep popping up. When the same issues resurface sprint after sprint, it usually means the root cause wasn’t addressed, or the system is so tangled it’s hard to fix.
Deploys are scary. If releases feel risky or require “all hands on deck,” you’re likely dealing with high entropy. Healthy systems make deployment boring.
Tech debt discussions go nowhere. When debt piles up and no one owns the cleanup, disorder becomes normalized, and entropy accelerates.
If more than one of these resonates, it’s time to take a step back and prioritize long-term maintainability. Start small: a retro discussion, a checklist addition, a post-release playbook. Every action that restores order slows the decay.
💬 What Do You Think?
How does your team handle post-release ownership? Do you plan for maintenance as part of development or treat it as an afterthought? I’d love to hear how you approach sustainability in your software systems.
👉 Share your thoughts in the comments or tag someone who needs to read this.