Software Engineering Mistakes: Premature Optimization And MVP Launch
Premature optimization can be a costly mistake. Focusing on cost savings over validation can delay market entry & waste dev time. Launch faster, validate demand first, then optimize costs later.
Introduction: The Trap of Premature Optimization As developers, we love to optimize things. Whether it's code performance, database queries, or infrastructure costs, we strive for efficiency. However, when it comes to launching an MVP, cost optimization can become a dangerous distraction. I’ve been building MVPs for the past three years, focusing mainly on the technical side of things. This means that when I run into problems, my instinct is to solve them with code or infrastructure changes—even when it’s not the most strategic choice. (You know, if you have a hammer, you see nails everywhere...