Why Adhering to Standards is Better Than Following Strict Rules

As a developer, one of the most important things you can do is to adhere to industry standards. This involves using best practices, following established guidelines, and staying up to date with the latest trends and technologies. While rules can help provide structure and guidance, they can also be limiting and lead to inflexible solutions. In this blog, we'll explore why developers prefer to adhere to standards instead of rules, along with some examples to illustrate our point.

1. Standards Encourage Creativity

   When you're working on a software development project, you want to have the flexibility to be creative and come up with innovative solutions. Standards provide a framework for how things should be done, but they also allow for some degree of creativity within that framework. This can lead to more interesting and unique solutions that might not be possible with rigid rules. For example, the React JavaScript library provides developers with a set of standards for building user interfaces, but within those standards, developers can still use their creativity to build unique interfaces.

2. Standards Improve Collaboration

   Software development is often a team effort, and adhering to standards can make collaboration much easier. When everyone is following the same set of standards, it's easier to understand each other's code, troubleshoot problems, and make changes without causing conflicts. For example, the GitHub platform provides developers with a set of standards for working on open-source projects, which helps to streamline collaboration and ensure that everyone is working together effectively.

3. Standards Increase Efficiency

   Adhering to standards can also increase efficiency by providing developers with a set of guidelines to follow. This can save time and resources by reducing the need for trial and error, and by providing a clear path forward for developers to follow. For example, the Agile software development methodology provides developers with a set of standards for managing projects, which helps to ensure that everyone is working together efficiently and that projects are completed on time and within budget.

4. Standards Ensure Quality

   Finally, adhering to standards can help to ensure quality by providing developers with a set of best practices to follow. This can help to reduce errors, improve security, and increase reliability. For example, the OWASP (Open Web Application Security Project) provides developers with a set of standards for building secure web applications, which helps to ensure that applications are protected against common security vulnerabilities.

In conclusion, while rules can be helpful in providing structure and guidance, developers prefer to adhere to standards instead. Standards provide a framework for creativity, improve collaboration and efficiency, and help to ensure quality. By following established guidelines and best practices, developers can create better software that is more secure, reliable, and user-friendly.