Matt Pocock says every new codebase turns legacy within days

mattpocockuk · x · 2026-07-21

Matt Pocock argues that “greenfield” codebases are mostly an illusion: even new projects must integrate with existing systems and user preferences, and the only real difference is the repository state.

His practical point is that a brand-new repo only stays “green” briefly. Since code now ships so fast, teams should default to treating any codebase—even a week old one—as legacy, and focus on setting conventions for agents and future edits from day one.

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