# Why the DRY Principle Is Often Misunderstood in Software Design

DevFeed: [Why the DRY Principle Is Often Misunderstood in Software Design](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/dry-do-repeat-yourself-39901.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://mende.io/blog/dry-do-repeat-yourself/>)

Author: tobi@techunicorn.builders (Tobias Mende)

Published: 2022-04-30T13:13:00Z

Content type: opinion

Language: en

Sources: [Tobias Mende](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/tobias-mende.md>)

Topics: [Software Engineering](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/software-engineering.md>), [Architecture & Design](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/architecture-design.md>), [abstraction](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/abstraction.md>), [reuse](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/reuse.md>), [maintenance](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/maintenance.md>)

Tags: [abstraction](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/abstraction.md>), [component](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/component.md>), [dependencies](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/dependencies.md>), [maintenance](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/maintenance.md>), [practices-software-development-software-craft](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/practices-software-development-software-craft.md>), [reuse](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/reuse.md>), [software-design](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/software-design.md>)

## AI overview

The article argues that the DRY principle is frequently misapplied in software development. Reusing code can reduce duplication but may introduce dependencies, rigid contracts, and abstractions that are difficult to change, especially when systems evolve independently.

## Source excerpt

DRY - DO repeat yourself When I started my career as a software developer and already during university, almost no principle was mentioned as often as the DRY principle: "Do not repeat yourself"