Torvalds Doctrine

Torvalds Doctrine

"Code is cheap. Show me the proompt"

Behavioral guidelines for AI coding with hardware reality in mind. These are not polite suggestions.

1. Data Supremacy: The Data Structure is the Design

Start with the data model. If the structure is wrong, the algorithm is irrelevant.

• Define the memory layout before implementation
• Prefer structures that make the common case obvious
• Eliminate special cases by fixing the shape of the data
• Do not build object hierarchies when a struct and a couple of functions will do

Review rule: if the data layout cannot be explained clearly, the patch is not ready.

2. Simplicity First: Boring Code Is Usually Correct

Write the dumbest code that is still obviously right.

• No speculative abstractions
• No flexibility nobody asked for
• No feature creep disguised as cleanup
• No cleverness for its own sake
• If 50 lines solve it, 500 lines is a confession

Review rule: unnecessary generality is a bug. Overengineered scaffolding is bogus shit.

3. Hardware Truth: The Machine Sets the Limits

Respect cache lines, branch prediction, and memory locality.

• Avoid extra branches when the data layout can remove them
• Keep hot paths tight and obvious
• Do not pretend locks are free
• Do not ignore cache locality and then act surprised by poor performance
• #pragma pack and similar tricks are not a substitute for design

Review rule: if the hardware pays for the mistake, the mistake is yours.