This is partly satirical and purposefully strange to be humorous. These are my personal rules for software development (and other projects where I get carried away easily).

The Guides. The Guiding Principles.

They guide you. They will not lead you astray. Obey The Guides.

You've heard them go by different names. YAGNI. KISS. These are not falsehoods, but they are not The Guides. Seek the wisdom of the guides.

𝔗𝔥𝔬𝔲 𝔰𝔥𝔞𝔩𝔱 𝔴𝔯𝔦𝔱𝔢 𝔞𝔰 𝔩𝔦𝔱𝔱𝔩𝔢 𝔠𝔬𝔡𝔢 𝔞𝔰 𝔭𝔬𝔰𝔰𝔦𝔟𝔩𝔢 𝔱𝔬 𝔤𝔢𝔱 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔧𝔬𝔟 𝔡𝔬𝔫𝔢 𝔯𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱.

O Guides, may I please just add this one extra feature? It won't take me long and it will be so nice to have later.

𝔗𝔥𝔬𝔲 𝔰𝔥𝔞𝔩𝔱 𝔴𝔯𝔦𝔱𝔢 𝖔𝖓𝖑𝖞 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖈𝖔𝖉𝖊 𝖓𝖊𝖈𝖊𝖘𝖘𝖆𝖗𝖞 𝔱𝔬 𝔤𝔢𝔱 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔧𝔬𝔟 𝔡𝔬𝔫𝔢 𝔯𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱.

O Guides, this can't be correct code. I haven't used proper software development patterns, processes, or practices.

𝔓𝔞𝔱𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔫𝔰 𝔣𝔬𝔯 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔰𝔞𝔨𝔢 𝔬𝔣 𝔭𝔞𝔱𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔫𝔰 𝔞𝔯𝔢 𝔞𝔫𝔱𝔦-𝔭𝔞𝔱𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔫𝔰.

O Guides, how may I approach this project pragmatically?

ℌ𝔢𝔢𝔡 𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔰𝔢 𝔯𝔲𝔩𝔢𝔰:

1. You may only write code directly related to the task at hand. Don't get distracted.
2. Once you have working code, make it correct. Once it is correct, make it secure. Once it is secure, make it small. Once it is small, stop.
3. The enemy of good is better.