Reinvent the Wheel (endler.dev)

Article summary

The article argues that the advice to not reinvent the wheel can be harmful as it discourages curiosity and exploration. Reinventing the wheel can be a valuable learning experience, allowing individuals to understand how things work and potentially create better solutions. The author suggests that reinventing the wheel can be beneficial for personal learning and growth, but also acknowledges the importance of reusing existing solutions to achieve impact. The article encourages individuals to reinvent for insight and reuse for impact.

Main themes

• reinventing the wheel
• learning and growth
• innovation and improvement
• efficiency and productivity
• dependencies and complexity
• personal vs professional context
• tradeoffs and decision-making

What commenters say

• Reinventing the wheel is a valuable learning experience that can lead to a deeper understanding of how things work.
• Reinventing the wheel can be a waste of time and resources, especially in a business context where deadlines and constraints are present.
• Some commenters argue that reinventing the wheel is necessary to avoid adding complexity through unnecessary dependencies and to create tailored solutions.
• Others believe that reinventing the wheel is not always the best way to learn, as it can be time-consuming and expensive, and that existing documentation and resources can be sufficient for learning.
• There is a distinction between reinventing the wheel for personal learning and fun, and doing so in a professional context where efficiency and productivity are key.
• Reinventing the wheel can lead to new and innovative solutions, but it can also result in inferior solutions if not done properly.
• The decision to reinvent the wheel should be based on the specific context and goals, and should consider factors such as time, resources, and potential impact.