What is a Workaround?

It’s not a solution.

Webster’s Dictionary defines workaround as “a plan or method to circumvent a problem (as in computer software) without eliminating it.”

As the formal definition indicates, it is circumvention and not the actual solution to a problem. It is a break-glass move and should only be used in emergency situations as a short-term fix.

For instance you just cleaned your house before your guests arrive and just as the door rings, you notice a small bit of dirt on the carpet. Instead of removing it permanently, you can sweep it under the rug in that moment. However, you shouldn’t forget to clean it after the guests leave. Otherwise, it might stink or might have unpleasant effects and you would be spending more effort to clean it up.

In software development, it is just like this. The ends don’t justify the means, there might only be a few ways to do it properly. Any workaround indeed “comes around”, some of which may haunt you at unexpected times.

There may be plenty of reasons or excuses that are forcing you to produce workarounds in different points in life, but this approach leads to failure in software development. With workarounds that persist, you actually forgot the future while trying to save the day.