Coupling is the degree of interdependence between software modules; a measure of how closely connected two routines or modules are. The strength of the relationships between modules determines how difficult the system is to understand, maintain, and evolve over time - the tighter the coupling, the harder it is to change one module without needing to change others.

How to use it in a sentence

• We need to refactor the payment processing module because it has high coupling with the user authentication logic, making it a nightmare to maintain.

• I wouldn't use that third-party library for such a core piece of the application - its coupling to their proprietary API will make it hard to switch providers down the road if needed.

If you actually want to learn more...

• How to Break a Monolith into Microservices - Outlines strategies for progressively decoupling capabilities from a monolith into microservices while minimizing dependencies.

• Consumer-Driven Contracts: A Service Evolution Pattern - Describes an approach for evolving service contracts that balances the needs of consumers and providers.

• Leverage Points in Managing Technical Quality - Discusses key areas like interfaces, stateful systems, and data models that require deliberate investment to maintain quality and reduce coupling over time.

Note: the Developer Dictionary is in Beta. Please direct feedback to skye@statsig.com.