Throw-away tooling

A throw-away tool is a custom solution developed to address a specific problem. Despite its name, these tools can see frequent and long-term use. The “throw-away” aspect refers not to the tool’s lifespan, but to its intended scope and audience.

These tools are built to solve the developer’s own problems. Because of this they focus on solving specific issues over broad applicability. They’re characterized by their focus on functionality rather than polish or scalability.

The key distinction of a throw-away tool lies in the understanding that it can be discarded once it’s no longer needed. There is no need to look out for other users or long-term maintenance. This allows for rapid development, free from the constraints of building for a wider audience.

There is a famous quote attributed to Theodore Levitt While¹

People don’t want a quarter-inch drill bit; they want a quarter-inch hole.

To transfer this idea to our tools: We build tools to solve problems. This is it. The hope is that with a little work upfront, we can make a mundane, repetitive or laborious…