We’ve all been there.
You write the last line of code, refresh the browser, and boom—it works!
But hold on… is it really done?
This one illusion traps developers at every level: mistaking something that works for something that’s complete.
Let’s dive into what really separates a working product from a polished, production-ready one—and why it matters more than you think.
✅ It Works? Great. But Here's Why It Might Still Be Broken.
Working code is like a freshly built car that starts—but hasn’t been tested on a real road.
Here’s what “It works” might be hiding:
- ❌ No error handling
- ❌ No input validation
- ❌ Poor performance under load
- ❌ No security checks (hello, XSS and SQL injection)
- ❌ No unit tests
- ❌ Hardcoded values or magic numbers
- ❌ Broken on different screen sizes or browsers
If you deploy this kind of code, you’re not shipping a product. You’re shipping a liability.
🧠 What “It’s Done” Actually Means
Done isn’t just functional.
Done = Functional + Stable + Scalable + Maintainable
Here’s what to check before you call it finished:
1. 🔍 Code Quality
- Readable? DRY? Consistent naming?
- Linting and formatting applied?
2. 🧪 Test Coverage
// Example: A simple unit test with Jest
test('adds 2 numbers', () => {
expect(add(2, 3)).toBe(5);
});
Want to level up your testing game? Check this guide:
3. 🛡️ Security
- Inputs sanitized?
- Auth and roles implemented?
- Secrets managed properly?
Read: OWASP Top 10 Security Threats
4. 📱 Responsive & Accessible
- Mobile-first design?
- Semantic HTML and ARIA roles?
Test it using Lighthouse or axe DevTools.
5. 🚀 Performance Optimized
- Lazy loading?
- Bundle size reduced?
- Images compressed?
Use Web.dev Performance Checklist to benchmark and fix.
💡 Real-World Examples: It “Worked” Until It Broke
🔧 A dev hardcoded an API key. It worked. But once in production, the key was leaked—and the company was charged thousands in API overuse.
📱 Another dev made a perfect desktop layout, but forgot responsive CSS. Mobile users bounced, and engagement tanked.
Just because the happy path runs smoothly doesn’t mean you're in the clear.
✅ Before You Say "Done" — Ask Yourself:
- Have I tested for edge cases?
- Can someone else understand and maintain this code?
- Is it production-safe? Secure? Performant?
- Have I gotten at least one peer review?
🛠 Tools to Help You Go From "Works" to "Done"
- 🔍 SonarLint — for catching bugs early
- ✅ ESLint + Prettier — clean, consistent code
- ⚙️ CI/CD with GitHub Actions — automate tests & deployment
- 💬 Code Review Checklists — don’t miss critical steps
📢 Your Turn
Have you ever shipped something that worked… but wasn’t really done?
Drop your experience or your checklist in the comments — let's make this a community learning thread. 👇
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