E39 - Organic Modular Design

Most software teams are drowning in complexity-but with your help, we can change that story.
In my latest episode of Code and Optimism, I share a little-known secret: modular design, when done right, isn’t just for architects or the early stages of a project. It’s something every developer should be doing every day. I call it Organic Modular Design-a real-world approach where modules grow naturally as the code evolves.
Here’s the kicker: if we’re not constantly maximizing modularity-from the project’s inception through the very last code edit-our project’s complexity will spiral out of control. But it doesn’t have to be this way. With a few key principles, we can stop the chaos and keep our codebase healthy and scalable.
The payoff? Logarithmic scaling of complexity instead of the quadratic-scaling mess that kills most projects. Curious? This episode might just change the way you code forever.
As always, I don't claim to have all the answers. Anyone who says they do is either a fool or is selling something. For my part, I'm always trying to learn how to solve problems faster with software, and I'd love to learn with you. Send some feedback my way. Let's talk!
Also available as a podcast: shows.acast.co...
And as a blog: / organic-modular-design
00:54 Intro
01:12 Organic Modular Design (OMD)
02:21 Stage 0: Modular Genesis
03:59 Stage 1: Function Module
05:02 Stage 2: File Modules
09:51 Stage 3: Folder Modules
17:14 Stage 4: Packaged Modules
21:18 Monorepos
22:01 Life "Cycle"
23:36 Continuous OMD
25:31 Ecosystem of Modules
27:05 Wrapup
27:48 Outtro
Related episodes:
[5 Essential Elements of Modular Design]( • E13 - The 5 Essential ... )
[More about Purpose]( • E14 - Purpose is the F... )
[More about Interface]( • E15 - Interface is the... )
[More about Encapsulation]( • E16 - Encapsulation is... )
[More about Connection]( • E018 - Connection is t... )
[More about Implementation]( • E19 - Implementation i... )
[About Modular Testing]( • E38 - Modular Testing )