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Risk of Documentation Drift
publish date: 2026/06/23 19:36:37.968629 UTC
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What is the danger described when emergency fixes accumulate over time without updating documentation?
Correct Answer
The original change may eventually be forgotten and the system documentation and code never realigned
Explanation
While developers may intend to document an emergency change later, additional emergency fixes often take priority over documentation. Eventually, the original change is forgotten, and the documentation and code are never realigned, leaving the documentation permanently out of sync.
Reference
Software Engineering, Ian Sommerville, 10th edition