# Reducing Cognitive Load in Code: Lessons from Linus Torvalds' Review

DevFeed: [Reducing Cognitive Load in Code: Lessons from Linus Torvalds' Review](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/how-to-write-garbage-code-by-linus-torvalds-39092.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://read.engineerscodex.com/p/how-to-not-write-garbage-code-by>)

Author: Engineer's Codex

Published: 2025-09-12T22:18:39Z

Content type: opinion

Language: en

Sources: [Engineer's Codex](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/engineer-s-codex.md>)

Topics: [Code](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/code.md>), [Pull Request](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/pull-request.md>), [Git](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/git.md>), [Linux](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/linux.md>), [AI-assisted coding](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/ai-assisted-coding.md>), [Large Language Model](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/llm.md>)

Tags: [agents](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/agents.md>), [code](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/code.md>), [cognitive-load](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/cognitive-load.md>), [git](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/git.md>), [linux](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/linux.md>), [llm](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/llm.md>), [pull-request](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/pull-request.md>)

## AI overview

The article uses Linus Torvalds's criticism of a late Linux pull request to argue that code should minimize cognitive load. It connects this principle to coding agents and explains that code is now read by computers, LLMs, and software engineers, making unnecessary helper functions and context switches more costly.

## Source excerpt

Linus Torvalds, Creator of Git and Linux, on reducing cognitive load