The code quality pyramid

Fabian Zeindl's Code Quality Pyramid provides a systematic approach to software quality through six hierarchical layers, where lower layers support and enable improvements in higher ones. The foundation starts with Build Performance (fast, reproducible build systems reducing context switching), followed by Test Performance (enabling rapid, comprehensive testing), Testability (ensuring ability to reproduce and test complex behaviors through abstracted designs), Component Code Quality (clean, maintainable components using static analysis), Features (implementing business logic on solid technical foundation), and finally Code Performance (runtime optimization applied after ensuring stability). The key insight is that 'when investing time in the base of the pyramid, you are paving the way for implementing stable features with high velocity.' Engineering leaders will learn that sustainable development requires prioritizing foundational qualities before addressing specific features or performance optimizations. The framework helps teams systematically improve software quality by understanding that each layer depends on those below it—you can't have maintainable features without testability, and you can't have effective tests without fast builds.