Exploring vs Finalizing: The Art of V1

Here’s the original post for context.

Exploration and finalization are two different beasts. Start exploring with a “final product” mindset—obsessing over modularity, perfect tests, or a pristine repo structure—and you’re almost guaranteed to fail. Why? Because exploration isn’t about locking down details; it’s about embracing the unknown.

Exploration is messy by design. You don’t start with all the specs laid out. You’re experimenting, breaking things, and figuring out what works. If you start splitting your code into 50 packages, writing edge-case tests, or over-engineering a problem you don’t yet fully understand, you’re like a sculptor carving marble before sketching a draft. It’s premature optimization on steroids.

V1 is about discovery. A prototype, a rough sketch. You’re building something not to finish it but to find the right specs. Sometimes, your V1 evolves into the final version. Other times, V1 reveals flaws, prompting a fresh approach—a V1.1, or even a completely different direction.

Finalization is V2 territory. Once you have clear specs, then it’s time for the clean, modular implementation, the bulletproof unit tests, and the scalable architecture. But until you know what you’re perfecting, perfection is the enemy of progress.

V1 lets you explore the terrain. V2 is where you build the city. Respect the difference, and you’ll avoid wasting time polishing what’s not yet clear.