This Code Is CRAP (2011)

2026-09-16 | original

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Why This Matters

This retrospective piece from 2011 revisits the 'CRAP' acronym (a code-quality heuristic), which resonated with developers as a memorable, if crude, shorthand for evaluating and improving codebases. It matters because software quality metrics and mnemonics like this influence how engineering teams communicate and prioritize refactoring work.

Key Takeaways

The article discusses a code-quality concept nicknamed 'CRAP' used to assess codebase health.
It highlights how catchy, informal terminology can help developers internalize technical best practices.
The piece serves as a historical look back at a once-popular software engineering idea from 2011.

Note: This post is rated PG-13 for use of a mild expletive. If you are likely to be offended by the repeated use a word commonly heard in elementary school playgrounds, please don’t read any further.

A Brief History of CRAP

Use CRAP On Your Project

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Explore topics: crap acronym code quality software metrics legacy code code review