I doubt that when you discuss any key-value storage with your colleagues, one of you say “It is just a big hashtable/map.” Have you ever work on a project of implementing such thing? Or when discuss self-balanced tree algorithm someone says “It just guarantees that lookup operation wouldn’t take more than logarithm of tree size operations.” Do you know how hard to implement one?

Nothing wrong with “just”

I have no problem with a situation when software developers discuss algorithms or technologies and say “It is just.” It is okay. Because we are programmers, we are dealing with complex and very complicated computer system all the time. We have to think in an abstract way. We need to describe complicated things in an easier way that the others, who are not familiar with them, could understand and dive into a project quicker. We are working with abstraction all the time. Each and every high-level programming languages are abstractions. They help us to develop and think in a more human-like manner rather than in computer-like. I doubt that any of us want to develop a computer system with assembly or worth with punch cards. How much time would it take from you to implement at least “small” hashtable/map? A few weeks, months?

More and more developers that I see not only say “just”, but they also have faith in that everything is “just” easy-peasy. They may change one collection or single parameter without understanding and implication because it might not have such influence on the entire system. Right? I also thought that way earlier.

Look at your current project and ask yourself “Why does it so hard to maintain it? Why does it so hard to develop it?” Maybe it’s because of that we not only say “just”, but firmly believe in that? Should it be like that or not, it’s up to you.

Wrap up

I don’t argue that we need to say less word “just” in our conversations with colleagues about technologies or algorithms, I argue that nothing is simpler as “just” that.

P.S.: By the way, there is one place where we can “safely” use “just” - “Just in time compiler.”