We often talk about building new systems, but we rarely talk about the reality of living with them 5 years later. Every engineering decision we make today eventually becomes "legacy," and without a clear approach to maintenance, even the best services can become a burden.
Drawing from over five years of working with legacy systems and overhauling them, I’ve realized that long-term success isn't about finding the "perfect" architecture but how we handle the inevitable friction of aging code. In this 15-minute session, I’ll share a few practical tips for keeping services maintainable without the drama. We’ll explore the hidden cost of clever solutions, the impact of tech adventures that go sideways, and the small habits that determine whether a system remains manageable or becomes a nightmare for the people inheriting it.
Drawing from over five years of working with legacy systems and overhauling them, I’ve realized that long-term success isn't about finding the "perfect" architecture but how we handle the inevitable friction of aging code. In this 15-minute session, I’ll share a few practical tips for keeping services maintainable without the drama. We’ll explore the hidden cost of clever solutions, the impact of tech adventures that go sideways, and the small habits that determine whether a system remains manageable or becomes a nightmare for the people inheriting it.
Saman Nourkhalaj
Elastic
Saman is a Senior Software Engineer on the Security Intelligence team at Elastic, where she builds the services and data pipelines that security researchers rely on to uncover new threats. She focuses on writing sustainable code and ensuring the systems handling these flows remain maintainable. Outside of work, she is often immersed in fantasy novels, catching up on the One Piece anime, or experimenting with pizza recipes.