Leaky Abstraction

When the complexity of an underlying system 'leaks' into the user-facing implementation, making it harder to manage.

What is a Leaky Abstraction?

A leaky abstraction occurs when an abstraction fails to fully hide the complexities of the underlying system.

Leaky abstractions can lead to unexpected behavior.

Examples of leaky abstractions include:

  • Differences in database engines causing inconsistent query performance
  • Cloud service inconsistencies affecting deployment workflows
  • Programming frameworks that expose internal mechanics

    • Developers should be aware of leaky abstractions to avoid performance and scalability issues.

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