Theory-building and why employee churn is lethal to software companies

This article explores the concept of 'theory-building' in software development, arguing that experienced developers don't just write code but build deep mental models of how systems work and why they were designed certain ways. When employees leave, this tacit knowledge disappears, leaving organizations with codebases that become increasingly difficult to maintain and evolve. Engineering leaders will gain insights into why high turnover is particularly devastating for software companies, how to preserve institutional knowledge, and strategies for building teams that can maintain system coherence over time.