systems without understanding the embedded knowledge. They remove the fence and spend months rebuilding it piece by piece as they rediscover why it was there in the first place.
Example: A workaround that looks clunky is removed, only to discover months later it was handling a critical edge case that now breaks in production.
Common Misunderstanding: "Chesterton's Fence means never change anything old."
The Truth: Chesterton's Fence means earn the right to change something by understanding it first.
You don't have to agree with every decision that came before you. You just have to know:
