The Weight of Cognitive Load

Cognitive Load in Software Development: Are We Overengineering?

As developers, we’re tinkerers at heart. We love shiny new toys, whether it’s the latest JavaScript framework, the trendiest backend service, or even… staplers. Yeah, you heard me: staplers. But sometimes, our obsession with the newest and coolest leads us straight into a swamp of unnecessary complexity—what I like to call the Cognitive Load Trap.

The Great Electric Stapler Debacle

Let’s start with a personal story. My red Swingline stapler (trivia: Swingline didn't make a red stapler until the movie Office Space) broke. Naturally, I hit up Amazon to find a replacement. That’s when I saw it: an electric stapler. No pressing down, no hassle, just automated stapling bliss. But then I noticed the price tag: four times the cost of a regular Swingline. For someone who staples once in a blue moon, that’s just… dumb.

Here’s the thing: if I were running a copy shop, the electric stapler might make sense. But for me? Overkill. And yet, how often do we make the same mistake in software? We’re so drawn to flashy new tools that we forget to ask the obvious:

Does this actually solve my problem? More importantly, is it needed to solve my problem?

API + SPA + Microservices = Overkill?

Somewhere along the way, we all got convinced that every app needs an API backend and a Single Page Application (SPA) frontend. Sure, it’s powerful, but is it always necessary? For a lot of apps, a server-rendered monolith would work just fine—fewer moving parts, less complexity, and less cognitive load for your team.

Then there’s microservices. They’re the gold standard for scalability… if you’re Netflix. But for your weekend side project? Suddenly you’re managing 10 services, setting up observability tools, and debugging network latencies—when a simpler solution might have worked just as well, like a well-structured Rails app. Rails, after all, is perfectly capable of handling even complex applications when used thoughtfully.

Cognitive Load: The Hidden Cost of Choices

Every architectural decision you make adds cognitive load. It’s not just about the code; it’s about how people—your team, your future self—understand it. Let’s break it down:

• Abstractions: Sure, abstractions are powerful. But too many layers, too soon, and you’ll spend half your day spelunking through indirection just to figure out why a button isn’t working.
• DRY Gone Wrong: “Don’t Repeat Yourself” is solid advice… until it turns into “Don’t Remember Yourself.” If it takes opening 20 files to understand one function, you’ve gone too far.
• Principles Like SRP: The Single Responsibility Principle is great… until it’s not. Splitting code into micro-classes might make theoretical sense, but good luck piecing it all together when debugging. Learn when you should simply create a private method vs an entirely new class.

As Sandi Metz wisely said, “Write code that meets today’s needs and is easily changeable forever.”

Why We Do This to Ourselves

Developers are magpies. We love shiny things. But sometimes, we use complexity as a crutch—a way to feel productive without actually solving problems. It’s like buying an electric stapler because it’s cool, not because you’ll staple 10,000 packets this week.

Keep It Simple, Keep It Sane

Here’s how to fight back against the Cognitive Load Trap:

1. Start Small: Stick to simple architectures—monoliths, server-rendered apps—until you find a clear need for something more complex. Server-rendered apps, in particular, can scale beautifully and handle sophisticated use cases when designed thoughtfully. Scaling is a nice problem to have.
2. Fit Tools to Your Team: If your team doesn’t know Kubernetes, don’t introduce it just because it’s trendy.
3. Delay Abstraction: Let patterns emerge naturally before abstracting them away.
4. Prioritize Clarity: Write code and documentation that future you (or your teammates) can grok in 30 seconds, not 30 minutes.

Ask Yourself: What Makes My Brain Hurt?

Think about your current project. What makes your brain explode? Is it the 12 services required to run a single feature? The labyrinth of abstract classes? The documentation that hasn’t been updated since the Obama administration?

Recognizing these pain points is the first step to solving them. Remember: the goal isn’t to avoid tools, patterns, or principles altogether. It’s to use them responsibly—to make choices that align with the needs of your app and your team.

At the end of the day, sometimes all you need is a trusty Swingline stapler. Save the electric one for when you’re running a copy shop.