Welcome to another episode of Code Confessions, where we dive deep into the unsung struggles of software engineers. Today, we’re talking about The Documentation Delusion—why even the smartest coders often find themselves completely lost in their own code just weeks after writing it. Terrance Craddock’s article highlights the paradox of documentation: we hate writing it, but we suffer without it. With developers spending an estimated 20% of their time deciphering undocumented code, this is a massive drain on productivity. The piece paints documentation as a form of digital graffiti—fleeting, often neglected, and prone to entropy, especially in fast-moving Agile environments. But what’s the fix? Let’s break it down.

Key Takeaways:

• The "What Idiot Wrote This?" Moment – The author recounts spending hours reverse-engineering his own code, only to discover he was the culprit. A stark reminder of why good documentation is essential.
• The Hidden Cost of Poor Documentation – Developers waste 20% of their time trying to understand undocumented code, which adds up to millions in lost productivity.
• Entropy in Agile Development – Unlike ancient cave paintings, software documentation often degrades quickly due to constant code changes and lack of maintenance.
• Best Practices for Documentation – The article hints at strategies such as concise inline comments, READMEs that evolve with the code, and keeping documentation as close to the source as possible.
• Cultural Shift Needed – Engineers need to treat documentation not as an afterthought but as an integral part of writing maintainable software.

So what’s the lesson? Next time you write code, assume that "future you" is a sleep-deprived developer desperately trying to fix a bug at 2 AM. Give them a lifeline—write it down. Want to change your documentation habits? Start small, be consistent, and consider tools like Docusaurus and MkDocs to make the process smoother. That’s it for this episode of Code Confessions! Stay documented, stay sane.
Link to Article