Hard code explained: Why hard-coded code is a problem

Anyone involved in software development — whether as a developer, product manager or founder — sooner or later comes across the term “hard-coded.” What sounds technical at first is in reality a typical everyday problem in many software projects.

Hard-coded code may be inconspicuous at first glance. In fact, it is one of the biggest stumbling blocks in software development. It makes projects difficult to maintain, difficult to scale and expensive to develop.

This article explains in an understandable way what hard-coded code is, why it is problematic and what alternatives exist — in a practical and comprehensible way.

What does “hard-coded” mean?

The term “hardcoded” refers to information or values that are entered directly in the source code of a software. These can be fixed numbers, texts, URLs, or configuration values that are not controlled dynamically or externally.

example:

//Hard-coded

const supportEmail = "kontakt@firma.de “;

//Better:

const supportEmail = process.env.SUPPORT_EMAIL;

Hard coding seems efficient at first — after all, you save yourself additional queries or configuration logic. But this apparent advantage quickly becomes a disadvantage as soon as something has to change.

Why is hard-coded code problematic?

1. Difficult to maintain

Values that have been set in the code itself can only be adjusted by changing the source code. Any change, however small — such as a new telephone number or a different price — requires an intervention in the software and usually a new deployment process.

2. No reusability

Hard-coded components are barely flexible. A function or module that depends on built-in values cannot be used in other contexts without changing the code again.

3. Susceptibility to errors

If hard-coded content appears multiple times in code, there is a high risk of inconsistency. If, for example, a price is manually changed in five files, there is a great risk that something will be forgotten — with potentially serious consequences.

4. Scaling issues

In small projects with few requirements, hard code may not immediately stand out negatively. But as soon as a project grows, content is changed more frequently or several teams work in parallel, considerable technical debts arise.

5. No separation of logic and data

Hard-coded code mixes business logic with concrete data. This contradicts common principles such as Separation of Concerns or Clean Code and makes software more difficult to test, maintain and extend.

Typical examples of hard-coded code

The following list shows how common hard code is in practice — often unintentionally:

• Fixed email addresses or phone numbers
• API keys or login details directly in the code
• UI texts that are not maintained via translation files or CMS
• Prices, currencies, or discounts as fixed values
• Feature flags or settings such as “darkMode = true”
  
  

How to avoid hard-coded code

1. Use configuration files

Environment variables or configuration files (.env, .json, .yaml) allow you to separate code and configurable values. This makes both maintenance and deployment processes easier.

2. Loading content from databases or CMS

Texts, prices, media content and other dynamic content should not be in code, but should be maintained via a headless CMS or database. In this way, even non-technical people can make changes.

3. Internationalization (i18n) and translation files

Especially in international projects, it is important to manage texts via structured files. As a result, all content is maintained centrally and the code base remains clean.

4. Dynamically control feature toggles

Instead of activating or deactivating functions directly in code, it is recommended to use feature toggle systems or remote config tools. This allows functions to be controlled without carrying out new deployments.

When hard code is exceptionally acceptable

In certain situations, hard-coded code can be tolerated — provided the risks are known and manageable:

• For small scripts or one-time projects
• For internal tools without major change dynamics
• In early prototypes where speed is more important than long-term maintainability
• When specifically used for debugging or testing
  
  

However, the hard code should be refactored later as the project grows or is used productively.

Conclusion: Hard code is a hidden risk

What at first glance looks like a pragmatic solution is in reality often the beginning of a complex chain of technical problems. Hard-coded code makes software unnecessarily rigid, expensive to maintain and prone to errors.

If you want to develop clean, maintainable and scalable code, you should consistently avoid hard code. This is particularly true for startups and companies that rely on digital products that should be able to be developed quickly and flexibly adapted.

At KNGURU, we rely on clear code architecture, modular structures and a clean separation of logic and configuration in all our app and web projects.