Basiskode

Basiskode is a term used in Scandinavian software development to describe the minimal, reusable base code that forms the starting point for a software project. The concept centers on providing a complete, functional skeleton that includes the essential project structure, configuration, and conventions, rather than a collection of repository-wide boilerplate. The word basiskode is derived from basisk (basic) and kode (code) in Swedish and Norwegian.

A basiskode typically contains a curatorial set of files and folders: a conventional directory layout, a build and dependency-management configuration (for example package.json, pom.xml, or build.gradle), basic tests, and a simple documentation or contribution guide. It may also include continuous integration/continuous deployment configurations, licensing, and tooling defaults (linters, formatters, and versioning). The intent is to provide a ready-to-run starting point that can be extended with project-specific modules.

Basiskode is commonly used as a starter template or template repository within teams or organizations to ensure consistency across projects, accelerate onboarding, and improve reproducibility of environments. It can be distributed as a repository template, a package, or a scaffold used by project generators.

Variations range from lightweight skeletons focusing on structure to more complete basiskode that includes sample domain logic. In practice basiskode is related to concepts such as scaffolding, starter templates, and boilerplate, but is distinguished by its emphasis on a maintainable base rather than copied, repetitive code.

See also: boilerplate, scaffolding, starter template, project skeleton.