Tolleddepend

Tolleddepend is a term that has emerged in discussions surrounding software development and dependency management. It refers to a situation where a software project's development is hindered or made more difficult due to the characteristics of its dependencies. This can manifest in several ways. For instance, a dependency might be poorly maintained, leading to bugs or security vulnerabilities that are difficult to fix without the original author's intervention. Alternatively, a dependency might have a restrictive license that complicates the ability to use or distribute the project that relies on it.

Another common aspect of "tolleddepend" is when a dependency introduces significant technical debt. This could be due to outdated code, poor architectural choices, or a lack of documentation, all of which increase the effort required to understand, modify, or integrate the dependency. Projects may also find themselves "tolled" by dependencies that are no longer actively developed or supported, forcing them to either fork the dependency and maintain it themselves, or undertake the complex and time-consuming task of replacing it entirely. The term highlights the indirect costs and challenges associated with relying on external code, emphasizing that even seemingly minor dependencies can impose a substantial burden over time. Managing these "tolled" dependencies often requires careful consideration during the initial selection process and ongoing vigilance.