{
"$type": "site.standard.document",
"canonicalUrl": "https://jacob.blog/notes/one-way-doors-vs-two-way-doors",
"path": "/notes/one-way-doors-vs-two-way-doors",
"publishedAt": "2025-11-17T00:00:00.000Z",
"site": "at://did:plc:ckthoyuvsmkp254fyuinyzb2/site.standard.publication/3mndm6tiamb26",
"tags": [
"decision-making",
"software-engineering"
],
"textContent": "One-way doors are decisions that are irreversible, or at least very difficult to reverse.\n\nTwo-way doors are decisions you can undo easily.\n\nIf you’re faced with a 2-way-door decision, make it quickly and move on. Don’t spend unnecessary time preparing for it, or fretting that the decision was the right one. Make a good choice and move forward.\n\nIf the choice is a 1-way-door decision, slow down. Talk it through with others. The consequence of getting these decisions wrong is much larger, so don’t rush it.\n\n---\n\nTwo-way door decisions that I often see overthought (i.e. you should put _less_ effort into these than people usually put into them):\n\n- Most PRs (start by verifying if it’s a one-way door or two-way door, then treat it correctly)\n\nOne-way door decisions that I often see under-thought (i.e. you should put _more_ effort into these than people usually put into them):\n\n- Which database are you going to use for the service?\n- Who are you in a relationship with?",
"title": "One-way doors vs two-way doors"
}