Code, Immutability & the Future of Development • Pragmatic Dave Thomas & Hannes Lowette • GOTO 2023

Dave Thomas and Hannes Lowette discuss the benefits of immutability, functional programming, and how modern languages are changing software development.

This interview was recorded at GOTO Amsterdam for GOTO Unscripted. #GOTOcon #GOTOunscripted #GOTOams gotopia.tech Read the full transcription of this interview here: gotopia.tech/articles/272 Dave Thomas - Author of The Pragmatic Programmer @pragdave Hannes Lowette - Head of Learning & Development at Axxes, Monolith Advocate, Speaker & Whiskey Lover @Belenar82 RESOURCES youtu.be/Adu75GJ0w1o youtu.be/gy44CTCce0o unison-lang.org Dave pragdave.me twitter.com/pragdave github.com/pragdave linkedin.com/in/dave-thomas-53aa1057 Hannes twitter.com/hannes_lowette github.com/Belenar linkedin.com/in/hanneslowette DESCRIPTION Software development in the 1990s was characterized as a chaotic period with projects often failing or delivering buggy software. The traditional approach involved lengthy requirement gathering, design and coding phases, fraught with issues, such as static requirements that didn't account for evolving business needs and poor assumptions about value and functionality. The rapid evolution of frameworks, tools and techniques in the software industry came as a blessing and fostered innovation. However, it was challenging for developers as they struggled to keep up with the constant changes. In this GOTO Unscripted conversation, Dave Thomas, original signatory and author of The Manifesto for Agile Software Development and co-author of The Pragmatic Programmer, spoke to Hannes Lowette about the future of software development, focusing on the concept of immutability in code and databases. Immutability in code refers to the idea that once code is made shareable, it becomes unchangeable, and it is identified by a unique identifier rather than its name. This approach allows for frequent code changes without breaking interfaces used by others. Regarding databases, Dave highlights the advantages of immutable databases, which, when combined with unique identifiers, make it easier to manage and work with data. Tune in to get insights into the dynamic landscape of software engineering and the need for continuous self-improvement in an era of advanced AI tools. TIMECODES 00:00 Intro 00:56 Early days of software development chaos 06:04 The next shiny thing vs the coding catalyst 09:33 Immutability & its impact on software 13:55 The future of software development: Immutable code 20:59 The role of developers in the age of advanced AI 23:49 Outro RECOMMENDED BOOKS Dave Thomas & Andy Hunt • The Pragmatic Programmer • bookshop.org/a/9452/9780135957059 Dave Thomas & Andy Hunt • The Pragmatic Programmer • amzn.to/3N3i0GP Dave Thomas • Programming Elixir • amzn.to/3Dl6fY7 twitter.com/GOTOcon linkedin.com/company/goto- facebook.com/GOTOConferences #Immutability #ImmutableCode #AgileIsDead #Programming #PragmaticProgrammer #Unison #UnisonLang #ElixirLang #Elixir #React #FunctionalProgramming #Program