This is not for everyone

When we say, “this is not for everyone,” what do we mean?

Only that not everyone wants to write state-of-the-art, bespoke code. Many are happy to crank out commodity code, or to use low- and no-code tools.

Nothing wrong with that. This is not for them.

Now and then, someone will say something to us such as:

You know, you could reach more people if you loosened up a bit.

What they mean is this: if we catered a bit more to the lowest common denominator. If we weakened our expectations.

This question reveals that our interlocutor has misunderstood our purpose. We very much avoid catering to the lowest common denominator. What excites us is elegant, state-of-the-art, bespoke code. And outstanding design, UX, sustainability … code in its highest and most elegant form.

Think craft, not commerce. Suggesting that we commodify is like telling Picasso he could get more traction with velvet blacklight posters. True, but …

At first glance, this might seem a bit pretentious, but is it? We are not claiming that our approach to coding is better than other approaches. But it is different.

And all code should be fit for purpose. This seems obvious. If you are building a big, commodity website, then most likely Craft Code is not for you.

But not everyone wants a Budweiser, or even a Heineken. Some prefer a hand-crafted micro-brewed pale ale. Or a delectable Flemish sour ale. We can has both!

How do we know this? Because microbreweries have proliferated to all corners of the earth. And yet, not everyone is into craft beer. Most “micros” remain micro.

I know. It boggles the mind, does it not?

I prefer a Temptation barrel-aged sour blonde ale from Russian River. Mmmm. We are now exiting the known universe. But thatʼs me. You might detest it (it is quite sour).

If Russian River made Temptation in quantities approaching those of Budweiser or Tsingtao? Theyʼd ruin it. Please, please, please: may that never happen!

So it is with Craft Code. Does it scale to enterprise level? It might. We doubt it.

That said, weʼd love to test that idea.

Many people come to bars asking for a Vodka Collins or a Dirty Martini. These are “commodity cocktails”.

Drinkers of commodity cocktails subsidize those of us who want labor-intensive drinks. Such as a Bloody Mary or a Ramos Gin Fizz (tradition says shake it for twelve minutes). In the same way, commodity coders make craft coding possible.

If everyone ordered Ramos Gin Fizzes, the bartender would quit after half an hour. The bar would be out of business in a week. If you want to make a bartender cry, sidle up to a three-deep bar and order a dozen variations on a Bloody Mary. Ack.

So there is no elitism here. Elitists, begone! Think of us more as artists. We can have art and graphic design both, without either being “better” than the other. Am I right?

But please donʼt ask us to dilute our expectations. That would take much of the joy out of it. A bit like watering down our beer.

Are you a codewright?

wright noun

one who is a skilled craftsperson. Often used in combination, e.g, shipwright, wheelwright. Hence, codewright.

Do you believe that our description of Craft Coding fits you at least some of the time? Then you may be a codewright. Or is it code right? If that description fits you, then why not join the Craft Code community?

Stand up and proclaim your love of and dedication to state-of-the-art, simple, clean, elegant, bespoke code. Make your voice heard.