# Cold Paths

DevFeed: [Cold Paths](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/cold-paths-33414.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://timkellogg.me/blog/2021/01/29/cold-paths>)

Published: 2021-01-29T00:00:00Z

Content type: opinion

Language: en

Sources: [Tim Kellogg](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/tim-kellogg.md>)

Topics: [bug](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/bug.md>), [Code](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/code.md>), [Testing](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/testing.md>), [distributed-systems](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/distributed-systems.md>)

Tags: [aws](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/aws.md>), [bug](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/bug.md>), [code](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/code.md>), [distributed-systems](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/distributed-systems.md>), [testing](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/testing.md>)

## AI overview

This article explains how bugs often emerge in rarely used code paths, or "cold paths," and argues that engineers can reduce this risk by simplifying applications, limiting configuration and fallback behavior, and reducing testing surface area.

## Source excerpt

Faced with yet another crisis caused by a bug hidden in a cold path, I found myself Googling for a quick link to Slack out to the engineering team about cold paths. Unfortunately, I can't find a focused write-up; and so here I am writing this.