Magic is Bad
In this episode of the Agile Embedded Podcast, hosts Jeff Gable and Luca Ingianni discuss the pitfalls of using overly 'magical' abstractions in software development. They explain how such abstractions, while aiming to simplify complex tasks, can lead to significant problems and risks when they fail or become difficult to work with. The conversation touches on examples like Arduino's beneficial simplicity and CMake's controversial complexity. They emphasize the importance of creating useful, testable abstractions that don't hide essential complexity and the need for careful tool and framework selection. They also draw connections between good abstractions and testability, advocating for test-driven development to ensure quality.