Exploring Houseplant Programming: Creating Personal Software Projects for Joy
By
evakhoury
Master baker tier. Every paragraph earns its place on the tray.
Summary
The article explores the concept of 'houseplant programming' - a term coined by Recurse Center peer Ellie to describe creating tiny, personal software projects just for oneself. The author elaborates on this analogy, describing how these personal projects are like houseplants: they exist for personal enjoyment, don't need to scale, can be imperfect, and serve no purpose beyond bringing joy to their creator. The piece contrasts this approach with professional software development, emphasizing the freedom and creativity found in building software purely for personal satisfaction without external pressures or requirements.
Key quotes
· 5 pulledHouseplant programming: tiny software just for yourself. Perfection.
When 'It works on my machine' is the goal, not the excuse
Houseplant programming is the opposite of professional software development
They exist for you, and you alone. They don't need to scale. They don't need to be perfect.
The joy is in the making, not in the using
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