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What does "KISS" mean in programming?

KISS is one of the most common terms in software development. This guide explains what it means, how it is used in practice, and why it matters, with real examples from the developer world.

Definition

Short for Keep It Simple, Stupid (or Keep It Simple and Straightforward). A design principle stating that simplicity should be a key goal and unnecessary complexity avoided. The simplest solution that correctly solves the problem is usually the best.

Example

"Don't over-engineer this — KISS: a plain dictionary lookup is simpler than building a custom state machine."

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